Tyndale 500 Exhibition
Blackburn Cathedral will host an exhibition during September and November 2026 to mark the 500th Anniversary of the Tyndale Bible.
As part of our Centenary celebrations, we will host an exhibition to mark 500 years since William Tyndale’s English New Testament was first printed.
Displaying an original edition of the first Bible to be printed in English, on loan from the British Library, this exhibition focuses on translation and Tyndale’s use of technology.
First printed in 1526, it was a decisive moment in the story of English Christianity, public worship, and the English language itself.
About William Tyndale
Tyndale (c.1494–1536) was a brilliant linguist and reforming priest who set out to translate Scripture from the original biblical languages into clear, living English, so that ordinary people could read and hear God’s Word for themselves.
His work was banned, smuggled into England, publicly burned, and he was eventually executed on the continent - yet his translation helped shape later English Bibles for centuries.
Tyndale 500 Exhibition: September - November 2026
Tyndale 500 will bring together the story of Tyndale's translation, the turbulent world of Tudor England, and the extraordinary technology of the early printing press.
At its heart will be a rare original 1535 edition of Tyndale's English New Testament (on loan from the British Library) - a 500-year-old printed witness to the moment Scripture began to travel widely in the language of the people.
About the Exhibition
The Tyndale 500 exhibition will help you discover:
- Who Tyndale was:
Scholar, translator, exile, and martyr. - Why it Mattered:
How translation, print, and mission changed what it meant to be a Church “for the people”. - The Living Legacy:
How the English Bible continues to shape faith, worship, and public life.
Schools Conference - Thursday 15th October
Translating Scripture: Engaging children with the Bible in school, conference at Blackburn Cathedral.
Blackburn Diocese Board of Education, in partnership with Blackburn Cathedral, invites primary teachers, RE leads, and those who plan collective worship to a morning conference at Blackburn Cathedral helping you engage children with the Bible.
We are delighted to be joined by Bishop Graham Tomlin as our keynote speaker for the conference, who currently leads the Church of England Centre for Cultural Witness.
Youth Conference - Thursday 15th October
Translating Scripture: Engaging children with the Bible in school, conference at Blackburn Cathedral.
Blackburn Diocese Board of Education, in partnership with Blackburn Cathedral, invites youth workers to an afternoon at Blackburn Cathedral to reflect together on one question: how do we enable young people engage well with scripture?
We are delighted to be joined by Bishop Graham Tomlin as our keynote speaker for the conference, who currently leads the Church of England Centre for Cultural Witness.
Schools Visits
Bring your school to explore one of the most important stories in English religious and cultural history. Ideal for R.E. students, we are also offering two workshops to fit your curriculum, led by Canon James Lawrence:
Language and English - exploring how Tyndale gave us words and phrases we still use every day;
History - the Reformation in England and how Tyndale's translation, and his martyrdom, changed English culture.
Dates available 1st September - 18th November. £5 per pupil with a minimum group size of 10.
To find out more please contact: Siân Howell-Jones, Education Officer on 01254 845310 or [email protected]
'Cover to Cover' Bible Reading
From noon on Sunday 4th October until 5pm on Wednesday 7th October we will read the whole Bible aloud, cover to cover, in a continuous relay of readers over three days and nights.
The reading is part of our centenary celebrations and it will greatly enhance the Tyndale 500 Exhibition.
We will hear hundreds of voices from across the diocese each read a 15 minute passage as part of this special non-stop Bible reading and everyone is welcome to signup and take part.
Visiting the Exhibition
Whether you’re visiting as a pilgrim, a history-lover, a reader of Scripture, or simply curious, guests are welcome to view the exhibition during the Cathedral's normal opening hours (some entry restrictions may apply on certain days).
There is no charge to visit, however as a charity, we rely on donations to support the costs and visitor generosity enables us to continue hosting important events like this in the future.
Full visitor information will be released in due course.
