BOOKS once owned by four medieval and Tudor queens went on display at the Bodleian Library in Oxford to celebrate World Book Day.

Staff at the world-famous Oxford University library showed the books owned by St Margaret of Scotland, Queen Eleanor of Castile, Queen Catherine Parr and Queen Elizabeth I.

Hundreds of visitors to the library’s Divinity School on Thursday also got the opportunity to see manuscript versions of The Uncommon Reader, the best-selling novella by Alan Bennett, which imagines what Queen Elizabeth II might read if she popped in to a mobile library.

Last year, the playwright donated the bulk of his archive to the Bodleian Library.

Richard Ovenden, keeper of special collections at the Bodleian, said: “In recent years, World Book Day has become an annual celebration at the Bodleian Library.

“We are happy to be part of the national celebrations which support books and reading, especially this year when we are celebrating Alan Bennett’s gifts to the library.”

Queen Margaret’s influence on Scottish culture is symbolised by her favourite gospel book.

A poem added at the start claims that the book was once dropped into a river and then rescued – almost without damage.

Eleanor of Castile owned a Book of Revelation, classed as a masterpiece of English gothic art.

Known as the Douce Apocalypse after its donor Francis Douce, the book is full of colourful illustrations.

The young Princess Elizabeth translated, wrote out and embroidered texts, presenting them as New Year gifts to her stepmother, Catharine Parr, and half-brother Edward VI.

Later, as queen, she received books which flattered her.

In 1566, her Regius Professor of Hebrew imagined her conversation as she toured the colleges of Oxford, including the building in which the items are displayed.

The Bodleian contains eight million volumes and a large number of manuscripts and rare books.

On past World Book Days, the library has displayed The Gutenberg Bible (2004), Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, (2005), a Shakespeare First Folio (2006), and Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows (2007).

Mr Bennett, 74, donated his papers to the Bodleian in October.

The history graduate of Exeter College said at the time that he had “no idea” what the papers might be worth, and added that the manuscripts would be better off at the Bodleian, instead of ending up in the American mid-west.

About 100 box files were deposited with the Bodleian.

affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk