Journey of Robert Leighton's Books from Horsted Keynes to Dunblane - Board Game
In the Undercroft of Dunblane's historic Leighton Library, younger visitors can enjoy a large board game bringing to life the journey at the end of the 17th century of Robert Leighton's books from Horsted Keynes to Dunblane after he'd died and left his entire collection of books, and some money, to build a library in Dunblane.
The board game will let young visitors explore how the books were packed into chests and brought by horse and cart to London, then put on a ship to bring them to Leith, then on to a smaller ship to Stirling, and finally by horse and cart to Dunblane.
When Robert Leighton died, his books were brought from the house, Broadhurst Manor (belonging to his sister Sapphira), in Horsted Keynes where he had lived when he retired. His nephew Edward made all of the arrangements for Robert Leighton’s 1400 books to be transported to Dunblane. They were packed into chests and brought by horse and cart to London by the carrier John Morley, then put on a ship to bring them to Leith, then on another ship to Stirling. Then they were brought by horse and cart to Dunblane. The images used on the boardgame are from books in the Leighton Library. The map and navigation rose are from 1602 “Tabularum Geographicarum” by Petrus Bertius. The image of ship and wind from 1554 “Cosmographiae Uniuersalis” by Sebastian Münster.
🧑🧑🧒🧒 The board game was devised by Leighton Library Volunteer Guide Tony Bragg as part of resources being created by the Leighton Library education group.
