Keighley did not only have Britain's first Carnegie Library - it also had one of the country's first lending libraries of any sort.

So claims local historian Elizabeth Caissie, who says 17th century Keighley clergyman Miles Gale loaned his books to parishioners.

She spoke out after Keighley Library was refused National Lottery funding because assessors believe its heritage value is low, as we reported in last week's Keighley News.

Mrs Caissie says Miles Gale brought books, midwifery and a clean water supply to the town and was instrumental in setting up Keighley's grammar schools. She researched the long-serving rector's achievements during her time as archivist and clerk for Keighley Parish Church.

Mrs Caissie says that soon after arriving in 1680 Mr Gale sent to Cambridge for his extensive library of books. She says: "He was a refined man and had been educated privately. I think coming to Keighley he got a shock. He found it a wild and woolly place and was appalled at the illiteracy. There would be very few who could read."

Mr Gale travelled on horseback around the parish - which then stretched almost as far as Kildwick, Haworth and Halifax - with a portable desk and books.

Mrs Caissie says: "As people learned to read he lent his books out. Those who could read and write would be encouraged to read even further." She says Mr Gale's efforts led to every person who married being able to write their own names in the register.

She believes most of Mr Gale's books would have been bibles, histories and religious writings.

Keighley historian Ian Dewhirst says the 17th and 18th centuries was a time when several libraries were set up in parish churches.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.