Gladstones Library in Hawarden - Britains only Prime Ministerial Library

Nestled in the charming Flintshire village of Hawarden is one of Britains truly unique historical buildings - a national memorial founded and maintained in honour of one of the nations most revered politicians.

American residents are familiar with the concept of presidential libraries, but Gladstones Library, built to commemorate Victorian statesman William Gladstone, is Britains only existing equivalent. The Prime Ministerial library contains some 250,000 printed items, including Gladstones personal collection of 32,000 books and non-political papers. Originally founded on the principle of making Gladstones collection available to the public, the Grade I listed building, completed in 1902, is now a busy hub of literary and academic activity.

The library's vast collection places particular emphasis on Gladstones specialist areas of interest, including history, politics, literature, culture and religion. On top of a readily accessible collection of fascinating literary works and records, the library also boasts a residential wing , comprising 26 boutique-style rooms.

Founded by the Gladstone family four years after the completion of the library, the residential wing welcomed its first resident on June 29 1906.

Now, 107 years on, the residential quarters have recently undergone a tasteful redesign.

Providing complete calm and tranquility, particularly as they have been fitted without televisions, the bedrooms provide a relaxing base for visitors to immerse themselves in literary pursuits and the library's rich collection of books, as well as the beautiful surrounding grounds.

Every year hundreds of people from around the world stay at the library to soak up its calming, creative atmosphere, including members of the US friends of Gladstones Library - a stateside group dedicated to supporting the library's activities.

The librarys Warden Peter Francis, who visited Washington DC and Minneapolis in November as part of a micro promotional tour, said the library had a longstanding relationship with supporters across the Atlantic.

Peter said: Around 10 per cent of our beds are taken by American visitors. Generally we find a lot of academics and historians, as well as clergy that are on sabbatical, like to stay here.

The library has a long association with the USA, which led to the formation of the US Friends group in 2007. Six years on we have a strong network of supporters in the States, as well as a dedicated US Gladstones Facebook page and 400 subscribers to our US mailing list.

I was very warmly received on the tour I undertook earlier this year, and we always get a great response from US visitors to the library.

We find that visitors from the States are looking for the opportunity to focus and study in a calm environment. They may have a specialist area of interest that we share, such as 19th century history, but generally we find its that opportunity to focus and study that is most attractive.

Gladstone said that nobody that has an interest in staying here should be put off by cost, which is a round-about way of saying were also an affordable place to stay!

As well as through its calming and creative environment and impressive collection of books, papers and journals, the library also attracts visitors looking to engage in its thriving programme of literary and cultural events.

The diverse schedule covers a broad range of interests, from a discussion with Gene Robinson, the first openly gay priest to be consecrated a bishop when he was elected to the post in New Hampshire in 2003, to Hearth, a cosy miniature literary festival of talks and workshops set around the blazing fire of the library's Gladstone Room.

This year will also see Gladstones Library put on its biggest ever Writers in Residence programme, where nine acclaimed writers will take up residency at the library throughout 2014. The writers, who include California-based historical fiction author Patricia Bracewell, will work on their own projects over the duration of their stay, as well as hosting a talk and creative writing workshop.

The Writers in Residence programme continues the library's tradition of providing a sanctuary conducive to creative work, with an estimated 550 literary and scholarly works having been written or researched in its grounds since 2000. The coming year will also see an alumni group from Mount Olive College, North Carolina, visit in May, and the Friends of Washington National Cathedral, who also visited in 2013, are set to return in July.

Many American visitors are also expected to return for Gladfest, a September literary festival that forms the highlight of the librarys cultural calendar. After a successful debut last year, which saw more than 1,000 people attend the inaugural festival, Gladfest 2014 features a busy schedule of literary activities and discussion from September 5th to the 7th . For more information about Gladstones Library, visit gladstonelibrary.org , or for further details of the US Friends of Gladstones Library group, email president Abigail Nichols at abigail_nichols@hotmail.com .