Leighton Library, Dunblane

Scotland's oldest purpose-built independent library founded in 1687

Leighton Library has 1749 edition of 7-volume "History of the Popes" by Archibald Bower

Added at 08:45 on 17 January 2026

The Leighton Library has a 1749 edition of the controversial 7-volume "History of the Popes" by Scottish historian Archibald Bower, born #OnThisDay 17 January 1686. He was noted for his complicated and varying religious faith (by the end of his life it appeared he had changed religion three times!)

The book criticised the power of the Catholic Church using historical research, at a moment when that was politically and religiously explosive. Bower said he originally intended to defend the papacy, but the more he read early Christian writings, the more he felt the popes had claimed powers they never originally had.

In 18th‑century Britain, anti‑Catholic feeling was strong. A long, detailed history arguing that the papacy had overreached its authority was seized upon by Protestant readers and politicians.

He had been a Jesuit, then left the order, then was accused of secretly still working for Catholics, then accused of betraying them.

< Leighton Library has 1653 edition of "In Sacra Biblia graeca ex versione LXX interpretum scholia; simul et interpretum caeterorum lectiones variantes" by John Biddle