A 17th-century manuscript kept in the basement of the Bodleian Library has been brought to life in a new book.

The Tradescants’ Orchard: The Mystery of a Seventeenth-Century Painted Fruit Book has fruit tree paintings from a 1630 manuscript.

The book, by former Oxford lecturer Barrie Juniper and St Peter’s College fellow Dr Hanneke Grootenboer, was launched at the library in Oxford on Wednesday.

Mr Juniper, 81, said: “All over the country libraries and museums are encouraged to get treasures out of the basement and on show.”

He said many Bodleian treasures have been brought upstairs but the fruit book had been out of sight for 350 years.

The book is available to buy in the Bodleian Library or online for £30.