IF KATE Middleton and Prince William are looking for a historic venue for their wedding, they couldn’t do better than Oxford.

The Bodleian Library’s Divinity School has applied for a licence to hold civil marriage ceremonies.

But the Bodleian was quick to point out that weddings, which cost £395 per hour, would not actually take place among the library’s priceless array of books.

Spokesman Sarah Henderson said: “We already hire out the Divinity School for wedding receptions and other functions and it has been very popular, particularly for wedding receptions of alumni, so it seemed logical to apply for a licence so that we could do the whole thing.”

Mrs Henderson said the Divinity School, built in 1488 as a room for teaching divinity, was now a ceremonial room used to offer hospitality to the university’s distinguished visitors on special occasions.

She added: “It has never been a library — it was a teaching room originally.

“We are proud of our lovely buildings and we are pleased that we can share them in a way that benefits everyone and enables us to raise funds for outreach work.”

Anyone who hires the building must promise not to damage the historic fabric.

But the hourly £395 cost might put it out of the reach of many brides and grooms.

If the application is accepted, the Bodleian will join a short-list of university venues licensed to hold civil wedding ceremonies.

They includes the Ashmolean and Natural History museums, Rhodes House, Mansfield and St Edmund Hall.

Oxford Brookes University already has a licence for Headington Hill Hall.

The application can be inspected at the Central Library, Westgate, and will be considered by Oxfordshire County Council once the 21-day consultation has ended.

The Bodleian has a copy of every book published, including The Changing Scene by Herbert Lionel Wood, who was Oxford’s Superintendent Registrar from 1967 to 1982.

Mr Wood masterminded the Oxford Register Office’s move in 1975 from picturesque St Giles to the then modern Westgate Centre – a move which failed to impress many couples.

In 1994 the Oxford Register Office moved to a Victorian building in Tidmarsh Lane and the following year Oxfordshire County Council was given the power to approve licences for marriages to take place in other venues.

  • Other popular places to get hitched include:

    The Kassam Stadium – the home of Oxford United FC - approx £6,500

    Blenheim Palace – home of the Duke of Marlborough, and a Unesco World heritage Site – £18,000

    Oxford Town Hall – city centre landmark and the seat of Oxford City Council – £250 + registrar fees

    Randolph Hotel – the city’s most famous overnight venue – £1,000 + registrar fees

    River and Rowing Museum, Henley – a mecca for boat lovers beside the Thames - £425

    Eynsham Hall – Grade II Listed building in a peaceful rural location – £8,400

    The Ashmolean Museum – among the treasures of ancient Egypt and Greece – £2,500

    Kingston Bagpuize House – grand stately home, dating back to 1720, set in spectacular gardens – £10,000