A RARE collection of the first four complete works of William Shakespeare are set to come to Blackburn this summer.

The town’s museum and art gallery will show the exhibition which will boast the first edition plays, known as the First Folio, on loan from Stonyhurst College in the Ribble Valley.

Edward Hart, a Blackburn businessman born in the 1800s, collected examples of the second, third and fourth folio, which he gifted to the people of the town for display in the museum.

Together with the Stonyhurst First Folio the display commemorates the anniversary of 400 years since the death of the playwright.

Seven years after the Bard’s death his fellow actors and friends collected his plays together and put them together in a folio format in 1623.

It is believed that around 750 copies of the first of these were printed, of which there are 234 known surviving copies.

In 1946 Mr Hart left his large collection of manuscripts, books and coins to Blackburn Museum for the enjoyment of everyone in the town.

Known as the Hart Collection, it includes Psalters and Books of Hours and also some of the earliest printed books by William Caxton and a page from the Gutenberg bible.

In addition Mr Hart’s collection illustrates his curiosity about the world with a diverse collection of Islamic books including Persian poetry and clay tablets dating back from 2000 BC that were discovered in what is now modern day Iraq.

Executive member for leisure, culture and young people, Cllr Damian Talbot, said: “We have a world-class collection of artefacts in the museum and the anniversary of Shakespeare’s death is an opportunity to shine the light on some of our cultural gems.

“I would urge everyone not to miss this once in a lifetime chance to see all four folios together and to celebrate one of our greatest ever playwrights.”

The folios are on show from Wednesday, May 25, until Wednesday, August 31.