Gill Harbach
Gill Harbach, owner of The Wisdom Library
The Wisdom Library and Study Centre is a specialist reference library and archive, with subject matters often outside the realms of those covered in public and university libraries.
It came about because the late Andrew Sinclair (a descendant of the St Clair family who own Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland) wanted the Monastery to have such a library but unfortunately it never evolved in his lifetime.
The library is now realised thanks to the long-term loan of a collection belonging to one of our supporters.
The collection
The collection spans a wide range of subjects including:
St Francis and St Clare and their teachings; mysticism; sacred geometry; earth energies and ley lines; early Christian teachings; sacred architecture; Knights Templar; Druidism; Celtic studies; alchemy; the science of numbers; symbology; Freemasonry; dowsing; Hermetica; The Secret History of the World, Sacred history of Britain, sacred sites, Rosicrucians, Francis Bacon and the Elizabethan mysteries; resonance; Gnosticism; the Cathars; ancient civilisations; early navigation; and many, many more.
The Monastery, in its history, has links to many of these subjects and to the living authors of many of these books.
This resource is rare. Libraries of such subjects tend to be held privately and are not available to the public. This library will allow people from all walks of life to discover more about the world they live in, uncover hidden teachings, and maybe even understand themselves and the world from a different perspective. The subjects covered by the library have, often, been withheld or even censored throughout the centuries. This is a unique and valuable resource of often withheld wisdom, generally only made available to the public in the last 100 years. The books in the library are selected because of the authors’ depth of experience and knowledge in their subject areas. Readers will be able to access authoritative works of study.
The centre intends to provide Wisdom Study sessions on one Sunday each month. These will feature a speaker or a video on a subject normally available for study in the centre. These monthly meetings also offer a place for group discussion, which can lead to an expansion of personal experience and knowledge. Please see What’s On for details.
Get in touch
The library is continually expanding and books on related subjects will continue to be added. If you might have something of interest, please do contact us. In the future, The Monastery archive and books about the history of The Monastery and Manchester will be added to the library.
Each month, we will feature a book that we recommend.
- The Wisdom Library and Study Centre is open for browsing and study by appointment on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm. For adults and children over 12 years.
- It’s located on the first floor of The Monastery.
- The books can be studied only within the reading room, as you would normally find in a reference library.
- Our librarian is happy to help you to make sure you get the most of your visit.
- To book your appointment contact Gill Harbach at Gill.Harbach@themonastery.co.uk or 0161 223 3211.
Entry is free
Try the Hidden in Plain Sight Tour which will explore some of the subjects covered in the library that are relevant to the Monastery site and its history.
Books are also available to buy from the Monastery shop.
Participation on Humanity Rising[edit | edit source]
Day 123 A panel discussion from The Monastery, Manchester UK
