Moyse’s Hall Museum, in Bury St Edmunds, displays second book bound in the skin of Red Barn murderer William Corder

A second book believed to be partly bound in the skin of murderer William Corder has gone on display at Moyse’s Hall Museum after being discovered on a bookcase.

Corder was found guilty and executed for the ‘Red Barn Murder’ of Maria Marten in Polstead, near Hadleigh, in 1827.

Daniel Clarke, heritage officer at the museum in Bury St Edmunds, said the murder is ‘one of the most infamous of the 19th century’.

Mr Clarke said: “We’ve already seen people through the door to see the exhibit, particularly those who have studied that area of history.”

The first skin-bound book, An Authentic and Faithful History of the Mysterious Murder of Maria Marten, by James Curtis, has been part of an exhibition at the town centre museum since 1933.

It was fully bound in the skin of Corder by George Creed, a surgeon at West Suffolk Hospital.

Though the second book is the same edition, the skin has been added to its spine and corners.

Moyse’s Hall said 'it is believed but in no way categorically known’ that George Creed used sections of the first binding to decorate the second for a friend.

The team at Moyse’s Hall said the second book, which was added to the exhibition yesterday, had been archived at store, in 2005.

This is because it wasn’t deemed necessary to have two similar artefacts on display.

During an ongoing review of the museum's collections, it was found on a bookcase, after being unseen for more than a decade.

In 2027 Moyse's Hall will mark 200 years since the Red Barn murder with a display dedicated to Maria Marten.