Newsletter / Issue 20December 2015

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DECEMBER 2015 NEWSLETTER

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@MagnaCarta800th Search: Magna Carta 800th Anniversary

www.vimeo.com/magnacarta/

www.flickr.com/photos/magna-carta/

Closing messages for the Magna Carta 800th from the Chairman, Magna Carta Trust, Lord DysonIt is hard to believe that the 800th anniversary year is almost at an end, but what a tremendous success it has been. Public awareness and understanding of Magna Carta has undoubtedly increased, and a wide range of commemorative activities have educated and entertained us, and truly marked an important milestone.

I am grateful to everyone who has supported the Committee in its endeavour – so much has been achieved, and it is thanks to the commitment, energy and enthusiasm of you all.

I hope you will forgive me if I single out Sir Robert Worcester for my particular thanks – without his vision, drive and leadership we would not remotely have achieved as much as we have done.

The national celebration at Runnymede was for many of us the highlight of the year, and

my congratulations to the organisers for such a memorable occasion. The presence and support of Her Majesty The Queen and other members of the Royal Family helped to convey a sense of the importance of the occasion. There were so many wonderful events and activities up and down the country and all over the world.

We can look back with pride, and with so many educational and legacy projects we can look forward as well to the lasting impact of 2015. As Chairman of the Magna Carta Trust my sincere thanks to you for your support and hard work in turning aspirations into reality.

Lord Dyson Master of the Rolls Chairman of the Magna Carta Trust

Newsletter / Issue 20December 2015

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My friends, it was on the 30th of September 2009 when I was asked to meet with the then Master of the Rolls, Lord Clarke, the outgoing MR and then Chairman of the Magna Carta Trust, and his successor, Lord Neuberger, to be told that as the longest serving Member of the Trust, as a result of being Chairman of the Pilgrims Society, they’d like me to Chair the 800th

Anniversary Commemoration. They presented me with clear instruction as to what they expected to be done and suggested a small committee of perhaps five be recruited to assist in the task. I said that I would be prepared to do so, but that I would want to have a much larger committee to take ownership of various events during the anniversary year.

As I had been co-chair of the Jamestown 400th

Anniversary British Committee and that had gone well, I thought it would be easily done. Little did I know we’d end up with c. 140 people on the 800th Committee and have an Advisory Board of c. 80. Instead of being the British Commemoration, I learned on the following Friday at the Magna Carta Trust meeting, when Lord

Neuberger announced that I’d agreed to take the 800th on to the world! I thought of saying “Hey, that’s not what I agreed” but then thought “Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound”; little did I know.

We’re still counting, but this year we think that during Magna Carta’s 800th anniversary year, 2015, there have been over 1,000 activities in more than 60 countries, all thanks to you and the hundreds of other willing supporters of the principles of Magna Carta all over the globe.

My special thanks to my closest supporters, Mark, Kerry, Patrick, Scott and Jo and to all my 800th Committee colleagues, their families and friends and all those stakeholders and others who have dedicated thousands of hours and their own money to ensuring that the Magna Carta 800th is commemorated in the manner of which the Barons and Bishops would feel that their bravery and fortitude was well rewarded.

...and from Sir Robert Worcester, Chairman of the 800th Anniversay Commemoration Committee

Sir Robert Worcester KBE DL Chairman, Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemoration Committee

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1) Pictured left to right in front row: 800th Launch, 12th

November 2010: Chancellor National Society, Magna Charta Dames and Barons; Atty General of Ireland; Vice Lord Lt. of Surrey; Chairman, Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemoration Committee; Chairman, Magna Carta Trust; Dean, Canterbury; Lord Chancellor; Treasurer, ABA; Minister of Justice; Mayoress and Mayor, Runnymede; Judge; District Inspector of Police.

2) Dean of Lincoln Cathedral Philip Buckler and Hereford Canon Chancellor Christopher Pullin carry Magna Carta on Launch Day, 12th November 2010, at Runnymede, seen by millions of lunchtime and evening viewers on BBC News.

3) Principal speakers ABA President William Hubbard, and The Princess Royal (front), US Atty General Loretta Lynch and US Ambassador and Foreign Secretary at ABA Memorial Re-dedication, Runnymede, 15th June 2015.

4) ABA Memorial, 15th June 2015: Temple Choir in red robes to left of Memorial, Knight Templars in white robes surrounded the Memorial, as Knight Templars were at Runnymede on the 15th June 1215. Household Brigade honour guard in foreground, awaiting arrival of principal guests, see 3 above.

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Magna Carta 2015 - In Pictures

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5) RAF Red Arrows fly-past directly over ABA Memorial, at precisely 12:15 pm on 15th June 2015

6) US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, UK Supreme Court President Lord Neuberger, NZ Supreme Court Chief Judge Dame Sian Elias found the Barons and Bishops Not Guilty of Treason against King John, Westminster Hall, 31st

July 2015.

7) Magna Carta Chronicle Author Christopher Lloyd draws huge crowds at Temple Church, December 2015, London.

8) American Ambassador Hon. Matthew Barzun shares podium at opening event, the formal dinner at Guildhall, 12th January 2015 with Foreign Secretary Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP for Runnymede who also spoke. The Bishop of London said grace.

Magna Carta 2015 - In Pictures

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Newsletter / Issue 20December 2015

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Magna Carta 800th Citizenship Ceremonies: House of Lords and the Guildhall, LondonOn Thursday 19th November Westminster City Council welcomed 20 new citizens at the House of Lords, as part of the 800th anniversary celebrations.

These special ceremonies are part of a series of Citizenship Ceremonies across the UK, link here.

Baroness Prashar of Runnymede hosted the ceremony in the House of Lords where the four 1215 surviving manuscripts were on display earlier this year.

On Wednesday 2nd December, a ceremony took place at the Guildhall, London. One new citizen was present from each borough of London. As such the ceremony was representative of the City of London’s connection with Magna Carta, which played a huge role in the events of both 1215 and the commemoration 800 years later.

Lord Mayor Jeffrey Evans celebrated Magna Carta and Citizenship at the event: “Magna Carta is the foundation of our values”, he said.

N.B. A Citizenship Ceremony was also hosted at Allington Castle on the 1st June 2015. Pictures here.

Hereford Magna Carta completes World Tour

The 1217 Hereford Magna Carta and King’s Writ have travelled to seven countries in four months.

Canon Chancellor Christopher Pullin escorted the document on its voyage, together with colleagues from Hereford Cathedral.

The Hereford Charter is the finest surviving 1217 copy and contained significant revisions of the original 1215 document issued by King John’s son, Henry III. The sole surviving copy of ‘King John’s Writ’ is a letter sent to royal officials across England from his meeting with the Barons at Runnymede in June 1215. The Writ, essentially the Magna Carta ‘covering letter’, instructs recipients to ensure the terms of the Charter are made known publicly, sworn to and kept.

Between the 28th September and the 12th December, the Charter and Writ visited: the New York Historical Society, New York; the European Court of Justice, Luxembourg; the British Ambassador’s Residence, Beijing; the US Consulate Visa Hall Guangzhou and the British Consulate Shanghai; Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, Hong Kong; the Supreme Court of Singapore, Singapore; the National Library, Valetta, Malta; the National Archives, Lisbon, Portugal; the Charter returns to Hereford Cathedral on the 18th December, where it will remain on public display until the New Year. Opening times can be found on www.herefordcathedral.org.

On the 800th anniversary of Hereford’s 1217 Magna Carta, the Cathedral will once again exhibit both documents, making use of the 800th funded display cases. In the meantime, the new display case is being used regularly to showcase other items from the cathedral archives.

Canon Chancellor Chris Pullin, with colleague Glyn

Morgan, presents the Charter to officials in Singapore.

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Final meeting of the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemoration Committee

Magna Carta Conference at Amiens, France By Dr Sophie Loussouarn, Senior Lecturer in English Studies, University of Amiens.

On Thursday 3rd December, the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemoration Committee met for the last time. The meeting was at the House of Lords.

The Committee is representative of more than 100 organisations across the world, and has masterminded events, projects,

and educational resources. Nearly all of the Committee’s 2011 aspirations have been met at the close of 2015.

The meeting was followed by a dinner at the House of Lords. Sir Robert Worcester (pictured above, with Jo Walsh, of GovNet Communications), thanked the dedication shown to the anniversary by all present. He received a standing ovation in response.

To mark the anniversary, Dr Sophie Loussouarn organised a three-day international conference at the University of Amiens between the 7th to 9th

December 2015. The conference was chaired by Sir Robert Worcester, and opened by former Attorney General of Great Britain Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP.

On Monday 7th December, the conference focused on the genesis of Magna Carta with Nicholas Vincent (King John and the Making of Magna Carta); Father Mathieu Rougé (Cistercian sources of Magna Carta); Professor Alamichel (Magna Carta in Medieval Chronicles); and Professor David Carpenter (Did Magna Carta make a difference in the First Century?).

On Tuesday 8th December, speakers highlighted the significance of Magna Carta in Britain today with Dr Peter Catterall (Magna Carta in the 20th Century: Charter of Liberties or Concordat?); Dr Murray Leith (Magna Carta and the Declaration of Arbroath), Dr Andrew Blick and Professor Robert Blackburn who focused on the influence of Magna Carta on the British Constitution and Attorney General for Northern Ireland John Larkin (Magna Carta and contemporary litigation in the United Kingdom). In the afternoon, French experts spoke about the influence of Magna Carta on the French Constitution. The Mayor of Amiens then hosted a reception at the Town Hall to celebrate the event.

On Wednesday 9th December, we studied the impact of Magna Carta on the Constitution of the United States with Professor François de Chantal and Professor Pierre Sicard and the influence of Magna Carta on Canada with Professor Françoise Le Jeune. In the afternoon Dr Claude Brissac-Feral focused on the influence of Magna Carta on the 1996 South African Constitution, and Dr Hamid Ghany delivered a talk entitled Magna Carta in the West Indies : Absent Past, Tangible Present. Dr Ted Bromund closed the conference with The Social Vision of Magna Carta.

The Logis du Roy, where the final conference of the commemoration year will be held.

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Report on European Perspectives on Magna CartaBy Professor Robert Blackburn, King’s College London

The Council of Europe’s most senior members, including its Secretary General and President of the European Court of Human Rights, participated in a special Seminar chaired by Robert Blackburn, Professor of Constitutional Law at KCL, in the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg. The Speakers provided a unique perspective on the contribution of Magna Carta to the principles and working of the Rule of Law, democracy and human rights across Europe today.

The event was streamed live to the Dickson School of Law at King’s, and overseas centres of comparative constitutional law including at Brescia University and the Centre for Comparative European Constitutional Law at Athens.

Professor Blackburn opened the event and spoke of the symbolic nature of Magna Carta and how the principles which it has come to represent today - the Rule of Law, democracy, and human rights - are precisely those forming the mission of the Council of Europe since its foundation in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1949.

Perspectives from the Council of Europe institutions were given by Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General and former Prime Minister of Norway; the newly elected President of the Court, Guido Raimondi, and British Judge at the Court, Paul Mahoney; and senior Venice Commissioner and former Prime Minister of Poland, Professor Hanna Suchocka. Commentaries were given by Sir Robert Worcester, Chairman of the 800th Committee and a Visiting Professor at King’s. Comparative law Professors Maya Hertig and Catherine Haguenau-Moizard from the Universities of Geneva and Strasbourg also spoke.

The topics discussed included democratic security across Europe in the light of recent events, the contribution of English common law to the jurisprudence of the Court of Human Rights, parallel constitutional documents elsewhere in Europe contributing to European ideas of freedom, a comparison of national Bills of Rights across Europe, and challenges to the work of the Council in promoting a safety net of human rights standards across the 47 member states, including with respect to freedom of expression and religion.

The audience comprised a total of over 100 guests, half of whom were ambassadors from member states of the Council of Europe or officials at the Council of Europe. The other half was made from 50 law students of the University of Strasbourg.

Magna Carta Stamps still available

Left to Right: Professor Catherine Haguenau-Moizard (Strasbourg University), Sir Robert Worcester

(Chairman, Magna Carta 800th Committee), Professor Hanna Suchocka (Venice Commissioner, former Prime

Minister of Poland), Thorbjørn Jagland (Secretary General, Council of Europe; former Prime Minister of

Norway), Professor Robert Blackburn, Guido Raimondi (President, European Court of Human Rights)

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Newsletter / Issue 20December 2015

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Magna Carta Rediscovered finishes tour at Rochester CathedralRochester Cathedral is England’s oldest Cathedral. Its Lady Chapel has hosted the final leg of Visit Kent’s touring exhibition, ‘Magna Carta Rediscovered’. Here one of Kent’s most important Magna Carta artefacts has been on display - alongside the ancient book that inspired it.

The exhibition closes in early December, and has been touring Kent since May. Upon closing, more than 50,000 visitors will have taken the opportunity to view the interactive display starring the 1300 Faversham Magna Carta and other important relics including the Textus Roffensis, a book of laws compiled in Rochester in 1120, sometimes called the ‘grandfather’ of Magna Carta itself.

Described as one of the most important documents in English history, Textus Roffensis contains the earliest record of the English language, the first recorded English laws and the Coronation Charter of Henry I which influenced the barons who drafted Magna Carta.

The Acting Dean of Rochester Cathedral, The Revd. Dr Philip Hesketh, said: “We are proud to have hosted this wonderful exhibition, especially as it is the first, and possibly last, time these two historic documents will be displayed together.”

The exhibition has been funded by the 800th Committee and supported by Heritage Lottery Fund. It opened in Faversham and has also visited Canterbury, Maidstone, Dover and Sandwich.

For one night only, 2015 was 1215 at Allington Castle, Kent. Graham Clarke’s ‘Starta Magna Carta Thearta’ finished its tour of the county at the home of Sir Robert Worcester – who played Bad King John.

The theatre opened to music from Patrick Gregg’s ‘Glorious 800th’, which premiered at Runnymede on Magna Carta Day, and was also rearranged for the Mock Trial of the Magna Carta Barons by the Barclay Ensemble.

In the play, a cast of Barons, commoners, and other personalities, confront Bad King John and persuade him to seal Magna Carta. Written in comedic verse throughout, the script is a pleasure for both children and adult audiences alike. For more information, or to purchase the script, click here.

Graham Clarke’s Starta Magna Carta Thearta, shows at Allington Castle, Kent

From left to right: Sarah Stuart; Amanda Cottrell; Graham Clarke, Author; Sir Robert Worcester,

Chairman of the 800th Committee.

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Round 1Canterbury City Council, Faversham Magna Carta Rediscovered: Funding assisted the Faversham element of the Kent-wide Touring Exhibition ‘Magna Carta Rediscovered’.

Lincoln City Council, Lincoln Voices Magna Carta Artists in Residence:Artists in residence will lead community engagement projects in Lincoln.

Salisbury Cathedral, Digital Media & Education: Media students at Bournemouth University have produced a Charter – themed suite of digital media projects.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council, Sound & LightEvent: A Sound and Light event brought the history of Bury St Edmunds to life over a week.

American Bar Association, Icon of Liberty under Law: This multimedia website focuses on public representations of Magna Carta throughout the world.

Baronial Order of Magna Charta, Triennial Symposium: Funding secured a Magna Carta scholarship and the first triennial Magna Carta symposium.

English-Speaking Union, My Magna Carta: An international creative essay competition for 11-18 year olds included all ESU member countries and Commonwealth nations.

Pilgrims of Great Britain, 1215 – Foundation of Liberty: This cantata was performed at Runnymede on the 15th June, and

was composed by Nicholas O’Neill, Choirmaster and Composer in Residence to the Parliament Choir.

The UK Supreme Court, Treason? The Trial of the Magna Carta Barons and Bishops, Westminster Hall:It might have taken 800 years, but on the 31st July 2015, judgement was passed on whether the actions of the Bishops and Barons at Runnymede in 1215 constituted Treason. They were acquitted.

Round 2The Bingham Centre, Magna Carta and the Rule of Law: Citizenship Education in Schools:The Bingham Centre has written an additional Magna Carta module for use in KS3 teaching materials.

The British Library, Children’s Audio Guide for Magna Carta Exhibition:The British Library developed a free audio guide for younger visitors to the ‘Law, Liberty, Legacy’ exhibition.

CADW, The Magna Carta in Wales:Funding assisted a series of events across Chepstow and Cilgerran Castles.

Oxford Brookes University, Why Magna Carta: The Oxford Brookes Oxfordshire Schools Project:Opportunities were provided for young people in Oxford to engage and reflect on the meaning and significance of Magna Carta.

Temple Church, Long-term Magna Carta exhibition:The Temple Church is at the heart of legal London. The exhibition will cement its role as a site of fundamental importance in the history of the Rule of Law.

Worcester Cathedral, Magna Carta and King John Play for Schools:A play entitled, “A tale of Bolshie Barons”, was performed at Worcester Cathedral and local schools.

Trussell Trust, The Barons’ Trail:In conjunction with Wild in Art, sculptures of the Barons were decorated by local chosen artists. The sculptures were auctioned in October and raised £250,000, to support the work of the Trussell Trust and food banks.

Sustrans, The Magna Carta Cycle Trail:A Magna Carta Cycle Trail was developed to complement the National Cycle Network.

Supreme Court, Magna Carta Chartered Voyage: the impact of the Magna Carta on the way we live:The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom hosted a free exhibition during August and September 2015, critically examining the role of the Magna Carta in the UK’s constitutional settlement.

Durham University, Magna Carta and the changing face of revolt: This exhibition, in the heart of Durham City’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, examined Magna Carta as a document of rebellion.

Parochial Church Council of Cartmel, Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Festival at Cartmel Priory:Cartmel was the home of William the Marshal. The Priory commemorated his legacy with a Medieval Tournament, Fayre, and a Son et Lumière.

Magna Carta Funded Projects Round – Up

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Royal Holloway, University of London, The Loss of Liberties in Victorian Art:An exhibition of 12 exceptional paintings owned by the University’s world-class art collection commemorated the 800th and was a major feature of the Great Charter Weekend.

International Slavery Museum, Our Modern Magna Carta:This project helped visitors understand how the Charter affected the abolition of slavery, and promoted democracy in today’s globalised world.

Trowbridge Magna Carta Team, Trowbridge Magna Carta Barons’ Towns:Funding assisted Trowbridge Town Council’s year of celebrations.

Magna Carta Barons’ Association, Facsimile Magna Carta and Exhibition: A facsimile copy of Magna Carta has been produced and provided to each of the towns and villages representing the principal rebel barons who secured the Charter from King John in 1215.

Kent County Council, Starta Magna Carta Thearta and other delights:Kent artist Graham Clarke has produced a children’s play, touring at locations in Kent.

Mind The Gap Theatre Company, Magna Carta on Trial: Theatre companies Mind the Gap and Freedom Studios ran a project engaging young people from Bradford.

The Odiham Society, Magna Carta at Odiham 2015: Ph1 & 2 (Foundation & Development): The Odiham Society has produced

a programme to inform pupils and students in local schools of North Hampshire.

Round 3University of the West Indies, Analysis of the impact and influence of the Magna Carta on the Commonwealth Caribbean: This project funded a Magna Carta lecture series across the Commonwealth Caribbean.

Hansard Society, Magna Carta International Scholarships: Two Scholarships worth £10,250 each have been launched by the Hansard Society for undergraduates from Commonwealth countries.

Magna Carta Coordinating Committee of Australia, The Legacy of Magna Carta: An Exploration of Fundamental Liberties. Funding has developed a website entitled “The Legacy of Magna Carta and fundamental liberties”.

Salisbury Cathedral, Flowers for Freedom: Part of the Cathedral’s Magna Flora Flower Festival, which took place between the 15th – 20th September 2015.

Commonwealth Lawyers Association, Magna Carta to Commonwealth Charter: celebrating the influence of the Magna Carta A touring exhibition on Magna Carta and the Commonwealth, which has visited nations across the world.

History of Parliament Trust, Making Constitutions, Building Parliaments – Constructing Representative Institutions 1000-2000:The conference took 1215 and 1265 as a starting point for an exploration

of the initiation and development of political institutions from the early Middle Ages onwards.

The Ditchley Foundation: “The Future of Democracy in the World: Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Conference”The conference was chaired by former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, The Rt Hon. Baron Judge QC.

King’s College London, European Perspectives on Magna Carta: A seminar was held at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg on the relevance of Magna Carta in European politics.

Round 4Magna Carta (an Embroidery): Funding enabled a UK tour of Magna Carta (An Embroidery) by Cornelia Parker, which featured at the British Library earlier in the year.

The Historical Association, Magna Carta: Significance and interpretation over time.This project will offer teachers resources to aid in the teaching of Magna Carta in schools.

The Sherwood Forest Trust: Discover King John’s Palace – On the Trail of Magna Carta.Funding has created a 5 km Magna Carta trail that connects King John’s Palace to the Parliament Oak (one of the oldest trees in Sherwood) utilising existing Rights of Way.

The Odiham Society: Magna Carta Journey From Odiham to Runnymede.Odiham residents made a pilgrimage from Odiham, to visit Magna Carta Memorial and the Air Forces Memorial in Runnymede.

Magna Carta Funded Projects Round – Up

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Salisbury Cathedral, Magna Cantata: Learning Through MusicMagna Cantata was a children’s musical which told the story of Magna Carta to younger audiences.

Hereford Cathedral: Hereford Cathedral Magna Carta Display Case and related interpretive materials.Funding provided Hereford Cathedral the resources to display their 1217 Charter and accompanying King’s Writ, in the ‘Magna Carta: Icon of Justice – Pledge of Freedom’ exhibition.

The Society of Antiquaries of London: Magna Carta Through the Ages.Burlington House hosted a free exhibition using the Society’s three exceptional copies of Magna Carta, displayed together in public for the first time.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Windsor and Royal Borough Museum: Magna Carta Champions.Magna Carta Champions was a community focused long-term education project run in partnership with the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum volunteer group and the Friends of the Museum.

St. Mary’s Church, Thorpe, Surrey: The Magna Carta Bells Project Magna Carta 800th inscriptions on the bells recognised leading historical figures associated with Magna Carta.

Université François-Rabelais: Magna Carta Rights: From an “English” Magna Carta to a “Universal” Magna Carta; from the “Old” Magna Carta to a “New” Magna CartaThis conference explored the Charter

as a document that was neither universal nor indeed inclusive, and the ebb and flow of the political and judicial which helped it to achieve that destiny.

Auckland University: Magna Carta Aotearoa.The Magna Carta 800th Committee for New Zealand ran a range of events, including a lecture on Maori rights.

Lincoln Business Improvement Group : Magna Carta Night of Festivals.Lincoln Business Improvement Group collaborated with ArtReach and other partners to produce a city - wide festival in Lincoln.

Workers’ Educational Association (WEA): Roots of DemocracyLearning from the Magna Carta, teaching took place in three of the WEA Regions: Eastern, Southern, and Yorkshire and Humber.

Visit Kent: Magna Carta Rediscovered Touring Exhibition and marketing programme.Faversham joined in the 800th anniversary commemorations with the touring exhibition ‘Magna Carta Rediscovered’.

Digital Drama: Magna Carta Young Curator Badge ProjectAn online service has been implemented for use by 4,000 schools worldwide and young users.

Sinfonia Viva: 800 Years.Local school and college students visited the Lincoln Magna Carta, and then worked with the orchestra Sinfonia Viva on new pieces of music.

Human Rights Office: Magna Carta 800 Years Conference.A research report entitled “The

Relevance of the Magna Carta for our Human and Civil Rights today” was presented at the conference.

Round 5Leavenheath Open Garden & Magna Carta Working Group: Leavenheath Open Garden & Magna Carta Scarecrow Event.Residents created their own creative responses to the Great Charter.

Long Crendon Preservation Society: Magna Carta Commemoration Rose and Oak Tree Garden.A Magna Carta rose and oak garden was planted, to form a lasting reminder for future generations of villagers.

Magna Carta Committee of Australia: Commemorative Event to Mark 800th Anniversary of Sealing of Magna Carta A public commemoration event took place at Magna Carta Place, Canberra on the 14th June 2015. Prime Minister Tony Abbott attended.

Epworth Magna Carta 800 Society: Epworth Magna Carta 800 CelebrationsFunding supported a host of events and activities, including an exhibition in the town’s 12th Century church.

Castle Hedingham Parish Council: Castle Hedingham Magna Carta Embroidery and Commemorative PanelsCastle Hedingham’s Baron Robert de Vere was one of the Magna Carta Barons. Funding produced two permanent celebratory community Art and Design works representing this link.

Magna Carta Funded Projects Round – Up

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Tongland & Ringford Community Council: Scotland’s Link to Magna Carta; Alan, Lord of Galloway, and Tongland Abbey.A commemorative information panel was erected to commemorate Scotland’s link with Magna Carta.

University of Lincoln: An Anchor of Hope in a Storm.Artist Ruth Ewan developed a series of collaborative workshops with young people using ideas in the historic document.

Christ Church Cathedral Dublin: Magna Carta at Christ Church.Christ Church Cathedral owns a 14th Century copy of Magna Carta, contained within our Liber Niger or ‘Black Book’. Funding was used to develop an interactive exhibition.

The Sherwood Forest Trust: Sherwood’s Magna Carta OakSome of the oaks at Sherwood Forest are between 500 – 1200 years old. A ‘Magna Carta’ oak was named, alongside outreach events in the local community.

Topcliffe Parish Council – Magna Carta Celebrations Committee: Magna Carta Celebrations.A day of celebration was held on Sunday 14th June to commemorate the 800th anniversary and significance of Topcliffe in the historic application of the Royal Great Seal to Magna Carta.

Curry Mallet Parish Council Magna Carta 800 Committee: Curry Mallet Magna Carta 800 Project ExpansionCurry Mallet Magna Carta 800 worked alongside the Primary School, Church and local community to deliver activities and events in 2015.

The Odiham Society: Magna Carta Living History Festival at Odiham CastleKing John was at Odiham frequently during May 1215 and the spirit of Magna Carta was captured in great style during events to commemorate the 800th anniversary of its sealing.

Mustaqbill Future Foundation in partnership with Apna Virsa: Celebrating the 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta in Slough.This project led events and engagement in the borough of Slough.

Magna Carta in Clare: Magna Carta in Clare Festival.A series of events commemorated the Charter’s place in Clare’s history.

Friends of RBWM Libraries: Magna Carta Poetry Joust.The Poetry Joust was a literary competition, the final of which took place at Runnymede.

Pleshey Magna Carta Events: Pleshey Magna Carta Celebrations.Pleshey was under the authority of Magna Carta Baron Geoffrey de Mandeville. Celebrations commemorated this link.

Rural Arts North Yorkshire: The Legacy of Mowbray.Thirsk town and surrounding communities engaged with Magna Carta’s Anniversary through arts workshops and events.

Skillnet Group CIC: Big CharterLearners from Skillnet studied Magna Carta and how to apply it can help in tackling today’s inequalities.

Skipton Magna Carta Working Group: Skipton Magna Carta 800 Celebrations.Funding aided local celebrations in Skipton.

St Mary’s Barnes: Barnes Magna Carta Festivals.The Barnes Festivals united local musicians with internationally-recognised artists and included orchestral, instrumental, choral and jazz music. Medieval music also featured.

Round 6Activities to support the promotion of the newly-discovered Sandwich Magna Carta.In December 2014 a previously unknown Magna Carta was found in a Victorian Scrapbook in the archives of Kent County Council.

St Albans: Heritage Trail and Magna Carta Pavement Plaques.A new Heritage Trail around St Albans will commemorate Magna Carta alongside local history.

The Franco-British Council Conference on Magna Carta and the Declaration des Droits de l’Homme et du Citoyen.On the 11th June a one – day conference was held at Lancaster House.

The Battlefields Trust: Magna Carta Legacy.The project centres on the battles and skirmishes of the First and Second Barons’ Wars.

Magna Carta Funded Projects Round – Up

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Magna Carta Canada: Distribution of a Magna Carta Timeline to 10,000 schools.Magna Carta Canada has adapted the Magna Carta Chronicle for Canadian audiences.

The Magna Carta Chronicle App.The Magna Carta Chronicle now has an accompanying app – carry the history of the Charter in your pocket.

Canterbury Museums and Galleries: the Beaney Barons. Funding has ensured the restoration of a statue of one of the Magna Carta Barons, Saher de Quincy.

The Citizenship Foundation: Bringing Magna Carta to Life in Primary Schools.New resources will guide class discussions on the concept of justice and inclusion.

Durham Cathedral: Replicating Magna Carta.Durham Cathedral have created two high-quality replicas of its 1216 Magna Carta and the 1217 Forest Charter.

English – Speaking Union: The Constitutional Voice of Tomorrow.The ESU will collate the winning entries of My Magna Carta to produce a digital resource entitled, My Magna Carta: The Constitutional Voice of Tomorrow.

Institute of Historical Research: British-Chinese Conference.A conference in Beijing discussed Magna Carta and the Rule of Law.

Magna Carta Barons Association: The Magna Carta Barons.The Magna Carta Barons will be a fully illustrated book describing all twenty-four Magna Carta Barons and the Mayor of London. The book

will use Professor Nigel Saul’s biographies of the barons.

Magna Carta New Zealand: Support for editing a book.This book will be a research driven, but community-oriented, treatment of the history of the Rule of Law in New Zealand.

Oxfordshire County Council: Find Your VoiceThe Council ran multiple engagement sessions with the County’s youth.

Parish of Putney: Magna Carta and the Putney Debates – FaithPerspectives and Good Government. A series of three lectures took place across Putney.

Royal Holloway, University of London: Funding for the Fairhaven Lectures (2016- 2026).This funding ensures Royal Holloway, University of London, can host a Magna Carta Lecture until 2025 – the 800th anniversary of when King Henry III issued what became the final and definitive version of Magna Carta.

Runnymede Magna Carta Legacy Ltd: Statue of HM Queen Elizabeth II, longest reigning monarch.On the 14th June the Statue was unveiled by the Speaker of the House of Commons, The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, in the presence of many distinguished guests.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council: Our Liberty SculptureA sculpture in Bury St Edmunds will provide a lasting memorial to the town’s Magna Carta legacy.

University of Lincoln: Knowledge is Freedom, Ignorance is Slavery.The University of Lincoln has launched a competition for students

and staff to design and build a sculpture for its campus for perpetuity.

Publishing a special Magna Carta Chronicle as part of the Sunday Times edition on the 14th June 2015 (with a circulation of 850,000).The Magna Carta Chronicle, published by What on Earth? books, is the perfect Young Persons’ Guide to the Great Charter. On the 14th June, as part of the Sunday Times, a special Magna Carta Chronicle insert was available across the UK.

Continuing to fund the Magna Carta 800th Committee’s social media work (including website and newsletter) until end of 2015.

Magna Carta 800th’s social media accounts are now the leading accounts on the topic. #MagnaCarta trended in the UK and Worldwide on the 15th June, Magna Carta Day.

In addition to the projects funded by the Grant and listed in the sections above, funding was also used to support a number of the Committee’s activities. These included participation at conferences at Amiens, France; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Beijing and Guangzhou, China; Brescia, Italy; Skopje, Macedonia; Gdansk, Lodz and Warsaw, Poland; and two talks in Strasbourg, first to the Parliamentary Assembly, and second to the European Court of Human Rights. Funding also supported the International Magna Carta Survey (conducted across 23 countries); special Magna Carta facsimiles for use at Citizenship Ceremonies; and ongoing Magna Carta 800th social media and communications work.

Magna Carta Funded Projects Round – Up

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Magna Carta 800th Videos Round – Up The anniversary year has seen footage of historic commemoration events take place across the world, and new documentaries released to capture the relevance of the Great Charter. Chairman Sir Robert Worcester has rated our pick of the videos below – click on the title of the video to view it online.

Treason? The Mock Trial of the Magna Carta Barons (1 hour 30 mins): The Mock Trial took place at Westminster Hall on the 31st July 2015. A panel of judges comprising the Hon. Justice Stephen Breyer, Lord Neuberger, President of the UK Supreme Court, and Dame Sian Elias, delivered a verdict of Not Guilty.

Horrible Histories: 800 Years (c.3 mins), and Epic Rap Battle (2 mins 30 seconds) Horrible Histories aired an adaptation of the Proclaimers’ ‘500 Miles’, as well as an excellent Magna Carta rap battle.

Magna Carta: Story of the City (5 mins) The shared story of the City of London and the Great Charter is explained, featuring Reverend Robin Griffith–Jones, Master of the Temple, and Tony Halmos, former Director of Communications at the City of London, who are both members of the 800th

Committee

Guy Fox: The Story of Magna Carta (c. 13 mins) Guy Fox History Project is an educational charity in London, with a simple mission: to create innovative activities and publications that encourage children to explore the world around them

The Magna Carta Chronicle: an Introduction (3 mins) The Magna Carta Chronicle is the official Young Persons’ Guide to the importance of the Great Charter and 1215 from What on Earth? Publishing.

The British Library: What is Magna Carta? (c. 3 mins) Narrated by Monty Python’s very own Terry Jones, this animation asks why Magna Carta was originally created and what it meant to those living in the 13th Century.

Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond MP (18 mins) Watch the Foreign Secretary’s speech at the Magna Carta Guildhall Dinner in January 2015 as part of the formal start of events for the commemorative year

Magna Carta, de Montfort and the emergence of Parliament (c. 3 mins) Professor David Carpenter explains the connection between Magna Carta, Simon de Montfort and how this laid the foundations of our modern Parliament.

Several more videos and lots more information about Magna Carta and the commemorations can be found here.

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Books

Magna Carta: The Foundation of Freedom 1215-2015Nicholas Vincent, Editor and Contributor, Third Millennium Publishing, (2015)£29.50 hb, £24.50 pb.

With Nicholas Vincent leading off with the law before Magna Carta, Plantagenet tyranny, King John, etc., joined with other leading Magna Carta scholars including David Carpenter, Anthony Musson, Justin Champion Joyce Lee Malcolm (on America’s entrenchment) and others plus outstanding illustrations, this book is the gold standard of the breadth and depth of both a fabulous ‘coffee table’ book and serious scholarship.

Outstandingly written and illustrated. Makes a splendid gift.

Professor Carpenter’s peers describe him as ‘the real deal’, who together with Vincent are the top rank of today’s Magna Carta

scholars. This 2nd edition of this Penguin Classic breaks new ground.

A definitive work, comprehensive, and is brilliantly structured.

Magna Carta David Carpenter, Penguin Classics (2015) £7.69 pb

Chronologically told story, background starting with that ‘great and terrible king, Henry II,

John’s father, the birth of the ideas of the Baron’s Charter, Magna Carta as a failed peace treaty, its slow resurrection and today’s mutation. The appendices are worth the price of the book: I Texts, Latin and English; II the men of Magna Carta; III Enforcers, the 25 Barons; IV Timeline.

Told in detail, but an easy read.

Magna Carta: The Making and Legacy of The Great Charter Dan Jones, Head of Zeus (2014) £10.49 hb

Excellent contributions including Igor Judge on William Marshal, one of the most important forgotten men of history. On his death in 1219 in his funeral oration the Archbishop of Canterbury described Marshal as “the

greatest knight that ever lived”. Others include Dick Howard’s Magna Carta American Journey, Lady Justice Arden’s Magna Carta and the Judges, Caroline Harris’ King John and Magna Carta in Popular Culture.

American perspective, foreword by Chief Justice Roberts.

Magna Carta: Muse & Mentor Randy Holland, Ed., Library of Congress (2014) £50/$55.20 hb

Magna Carta UncoveredAnthony Arlidge and Igor Judge, Hart Publishing (2014) £22.50 hb

From the pens of two senior QCs who have for many years had a serious interest in Magna Carta. Nicely structured with a most useful timeline, laying out compact

descriptions of the principal players, King John, William Marshall, Stephen Langton, and the Rebel Barons, an excellent chapter on London, a succeeding chapters following The Great Charter’s passage through the centuries.

Excellent, forensic, and entertaining.

Starta Magna Carta Thearta Graham Clarke, £10.00 pb

A play in verse, celebrating the sealing of the Magna Carta 800 years ago, in Graham’s typical comic style. Suitable for children and adults alike. Performance

notes and advice along with the poem ‘The Runnymede Eel Appeal’ are also included.

This revised edition of J C Holt’s study of Magna Carta, the Great Charter, offers an

authoritative analysis of England’s most famous constitutional text. The book sets the events of 1215 and the Charter itself in the context of the law, politics and administration of England and Europe in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.

The Classic.

Magna Carta J C Holt Cambridge (1965) £21.99 pb

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BooksMagna Carta: Law, Liberty, LegacyClaire Breay and Julian HarrisonThe British library Publishing Divisions, 2nd Edition (2011) £19.99 pb

Contributions from Nicholas Vincent, David Carpenter, Justin Champion, Alexander Lock

and many others. Summing up: concludes that what we commemorate in 2015 “remains, indeed, not just a ‘great’ charter but the greatest charter of them all”. Breay and Harrison are the curators of the British Library’s wonderful exhibition.

Authentically written and comprehensively illustrated.

David Starkey’s new book is the expansion of his excellent BBC television interview in January 2015. He describes it as the “true

story behind the Charter” as well as the “bird’s eye view” of eight countries. It focuses on the ten years, 1215-1225, the decade in which the Charter transmuted from a peace treaty into “the bedrock of an evolving English constitution”. The three crucial versions of the Charter, the original 1215, Henry III’s 1216, then 1217 and 1225, substantially revised and for all intents and purposes the definitive document so that you can see what stayed the same and what changed.

A different (and he claims) the “real story” of the legacy of Magna Carta.

Magna Carta: The True Story Behind the CharterDavid Starkey, Hodder & Stoughton (April 2015) £18.99 pb

An ambitious book which not only looks ‘beyond’ Magna Carta to a written constitution, but most excellently ‘precedes’ it, taking us back to the Textus Roffensis and the

laws of King AEthelberht of Kent, c. 601-604,. writted in (Old) English, for the English

Not just another Magna Carta book, but added value.

Beyond Magna Carta by Andrew BlickHart Publishing Limited (2015) £25.00 hb

A stirring introduction from the retiring American Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, puts forward Articles 39 and 40, quoting Winston Churchill “Government

must henceforth mean something more than the arbitrary role of any man and custom and the law must stand even above the King”. With a good summary of the history of Magna Carta and edited by Dan Magraw, Andrea Martinez and Roy Brownell and drawing on many others.

Serious and comprehensive contribution

Magna Carta and the Rule of Law by Daniel Magraw, Andrea Martinez and Roy E Brownell (2014) £15.68 pb

Interesting and well researched look at the perspective of the people of the day, in ‘The Year of Magna Carta’. Good as a balance to both the ‘political biographies’ and the

concentration on the period’s elite class actions

Bottom up, rather than top down.

1215 Danny Danziger, John GillinghamHodder & Stoughton (2003) £12.99 pb

Magna Carta in 20 Places,Derek J TaylorThe History Press (2015) £18.99 hb

Taylor’s approach is so far unique in the parade, taking as he does a geographical approach to look in some detail at what happened that mattered in the places the

action took place, from the Battle of Bouvines (which the BBC called ‘the most important battle in history which nobody has heard of’) to Acre and the Marches, Lincoln and Runnymede, Jamestown and Washington.

Excellent idea of structuring; much to recommend it.

Packed with facts, understanding and intricacies of the XIII Century, plus before and after, focussing on Magna Carta, this 110 page paperback fits neatly into pocket

and purse, and is ideal for an overall sweep of what was going on, where, by who, and when of the start of what we now know as Magna Carta’s victories on the battlefields of the barons’ wars, the negotiations with Bad King John, its failure as a peace treaty and eventual success as ‘the greatest constitutional document of all time’.

Best read for a broad look at the Great Charter.

Magna Carta: A Very Short IntroductionNicholas Vincent, Oxford University Press (2012) £5.99

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As written as sympathetic a book about King John as one could muster. King John was successful at fundraising,

but failed as a father, brother, son, in battle, in justice, in management above all. He alienated his family, his followers, the common people and all the media that existed at that time. Well documented.

“Did he deserve to be called ‘Bad King John’? No, he was much worse than that”. (Nicolas Vincent’s last word on King John).

King John: Treachery, Tyranny and the Road to Magna Carta Mark Morris, Hutchinson (March, 2015) £13.99 hb Robin Griffith-Jones, the Reverend and

Valiant Master of the Temple Church, has been an outstandingly enthusiastic supporter of the Magna Carta 800th anniversary commemorations. As well as giving many speeches to organised groups, sermons not only in Temple Church and recently in Rochester Cathedral’s Justice Service, and publication of several authored and edited books including chapters by other knowledgeable contributors.

Magna Carta: 1215 – 2015. Magna Carta, Religion, and the Rule of Law Rev. Robin Griffith-Jones, Mark Hill (Eds.). Cambridge University Press (2015) www.templemusic.org (£20.00)

‘King John he was a bad man…’ pretty well from start to finish. It’s hard to find a good thing to say for him, but Stephen tries.

Called ‘Lackland’ and ‘Softsword’, he was his father’s favourite, and he let him down at every turn. Failing to win back Normandy at the battle of Bouvines in 1214 was the last straw for the Barons and led to Runnymede. His death in 1216 led to his successor’s reissue of Magna Carta.

There wouldn’t have been a Magna Carta without King John

King John: England, Magna Carta, and the Making of a Tyrant Stephen Church, Macmillan (2015)

William Marshal was one of the two defining characters in the middle of the action over many years, King John’s loyal retainer near his end, but originally was a trusted member of John’s mother, Eleanor, who’d saved his life early on. Late in life when John died, William became guardian to his nine year old son and overcoming the boy’s opposition, reissued the Charter, after its being declared null by Pope Innocent III.

Deserves the title: The Greatest Knight who ever lived.

The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshal, the Power Behind Five English Thrones Thomas Ashbridge, Simon and Schuster UK (2015) hb

King John

For Children

The Magna Carta Chronicle, written as if the day following the “King’s Fate sealed at Runnymede”, by the ‘Royal Correspondent’ on 16 June 1215, to “Crowds gather to mark 800 years in the fight for freedom and rights” by the home affairs correspondent, Runnymede, Windsor, June 16, 2015 – spectacular illustrated time line of 800 years of the Rule of Law and human rights. Quiz and multiple choice questions.

Fantastic timeline, fun and informative, 11-14 year olds.

The Magna Carta Chronicle: Young Person’s Guide to 800 Years in the Fight for Freedom by Christopher Lloyd and Patrick SkipworthWhat on Earth Publishing (2015) www.whatonearthbooks.com £8.99 hb

Written and illustrated by kids for kids led by Kourtney, explaining what Magna Carta is all about and why it is important, in a style suitable for 6-8 year olds and for parents and grandparents to help

their children and grandchildren why it is important.

Suggested contribution £5, from www.guyfox.org.uk

History Rocks, Magna Carta! Kourtney Harper, Guy Fox (Launching 20 April 2015) pb

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800th Commemorative Merchandise

Check our Exclusive Magna Carta deal at:www.radissonblu-edwardian.com/magnacarta

Magna Carta Facsimile£1500

Script Black Mug£6

Tea Towel £6

Gold Metal Keyring

£6

Gold Metal Cufflinks

£10

Black Umbrella

£20

Silver Money Clip£90

Polo Top £25

The Seal of Magna Carta

Replica£20

USB Drive£8

Pen & Notebook£45

3We have a wide range of Magna Carta 800th commemorative products available for sale at our exclusive online shop:

www.magnacarta800th.com/shop

You are able to purchase single items or large quantities and our production partners are happy to discuss trade supplies and co-branding opportunities. A proportion of the sale from every purchase goes to the

Magna Carta Trust to support the 800th commemoration activities.

Rugby Top £30

Laptop Bag £20

The Great Charter of the Liberties of

England Book £13

Gold Metal Lapel Pin

£6