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magnacarta800th.com
Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
JUNE 2015 NEWSLETTER
Finally, Magna Carta Day is here.
Crescendo: “the climactic point or moment in such
an increase; peak” according to the dictionary.
The peak of the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary
Commemoration is upon us. 15 June 2015,
Magna Carta Day, when the Queen as Patron of
the Magna Carta Trust and the Duke of Edinburgh
will be with us at Runnymede, 800 years exactly
since King John ‘sealed the deal’ with the Barons
and Bishops to agree what we now know as the
Great Charter, Magna Carta. See stamps, below,
and on pps. 6, 7,10, 13, 14.
Crescendo also means “increasing in loudness”, and it has
certainly done that. When I was given the job of chairing
the Anniversary on the 9th of October 2009, worldwide, little
did I know that it would take over my life and have, as I’d
hoped it would, a life of its own. You can see the culmination
of others’ efforts listed in this June issue of the Magna Carta
Newsletter, at least of some of those things happened of
which we are aware. Hundreds of activities in hundreds of
villages such as Odiham, towns such as Faversham, and cities
like Durham, Lincoln, Salisbury and Canterbury, and the City
of London, by a constitutionalist like the University of Virginia’s
Professor Dick Howard’s lectures in the British Library’s
Eccles Centre, at the American Embassy and elsewhere,
in academic symposia in Grenada and Barbados, Amiens
and Luxembourg, Canterbury and Lincoln, Washington and
Beijing, and in many cathedrals, castles and universities
throughout the world.
Early in June one particularly outstanding event will be
happening in all the British Magna Carta towns, first-day
covers dated 2nd June and postmarked Magna Carta for the
next four days and Egham post office near Runnymede already
sold out by 10am. The special Royal Mail suite of six stamps
will be combined in a commemoration packet with the £2 coin,
struck for the 800th anniversary, thanks to the Royal Mail and
the Royal Mint.
Our star academics and writers of the many Magna Carta
books have been and will be at the many literary festivals being
held all over the country, and especially assiduous in this have
been Magna Carta scholars Professors Nicholas Vincent,
David Carpenter, Nigel Saul and jurists Lords (Igor) Judge,
Neuberger, Thomas, Dyson (Chairman of the Magna Carta
Trust as David Neuberger was before him, and Lady Arden.
Authors Christopher Lloyd (Magna Carta Chronicle), Nicholas
Vincent (Magna Carta: The Foundation of Freedom; 1215 2015), Kortney Harper (History Rocks: Magna Carta) , David
Carpenter (Magna Carta) and many others (too many for me
to read them all) have also hit the road to many invitations from
many groups to spread the word of the enduring contribution
in response to interested audiences in many countries.
The twin peak highlights coming up are two: Runnymede, 15th
June, and Westminster Hall, 31st July, for the Mock Trial of the
Barons and Bishops charged with Treason! Against King John
(featured in this space in last month’s Newsletter.)
Sir Robert Worcester KBE DL
Chairman, Magna Carta 800th Committee
In this newsletter is a comprehensive list of events in June.
Find out more about other events at our website,
www.magnacarta800th.com.
@MagnaCarta800th
Search: Magna Carta
800th Anniversary
www.vimeo.com/
magnacarta/
www.flickr.com/
photos/magna-carta/
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magnacarta800th.com
Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
June Highlights:
• 8th: Professor Howard speaking at the United
States Embassy, London. Private event.
• 1st : ‘Magna Carta’s American Adventure’, British
Library. Professor Dick Howard, Speaker. 18:30
– 20:00.
• 8th: Relay carrying Magna Carta through Slough,
focusing on flags of the Commonwealth.
• 1 : Magna Carta Citizenship Ceremony at
Allington Castle, Kent. Hosted by Sir Robert
Worcester. 18:00.
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• 1 : ‘What has Magna Carta Ever Done For Us?’
Live debate, open to the public, London School of
Economics. 18:30 – 20:00.
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• 1st – 28th: William Shakespeare’s King John, at the
Globe Theatre, London.
• 1 – 19 : ‘The Loss of Liberties in Victorian Art’
exhibition at Royal Holloway, University of London.
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• 1st June – 29th August: Magna Carta Pop – Up
Exhibition, at the United Church of Egham.
Organised by Egham Museum.
• 1st June – 20th September: Magna Carta and the
City, walking tours of the City of London.
• 1st June – 31st August: ‘Magna Carta and the
Changing Face of Revolt’, exhibition. Palace
Green Library, Durham.
• 2nd: Magna Carta commemorative stamps
released by Royal Mail.
• 4th: ‘Magna Carta and the Rule of Law,’ Chertsey
Hall. Professor Nigel Saul, Speaker. 19:00.
• 5th – 6th: ‘Magna Carta, King John, and the Civil
War in Kent’, conference in Canterbury.
• 6th: ‘It’s time for a new Magna Carta’ Bagehot
Memorial Debate, Langport, UK. Lord Tyler and
Lord Norton, Speakers. 18:45
• 7th – 14th : Runnymede Music Festival.
• 7th: ‘Magna Carta’s American Adventure’,
Salisbury Cathedral. Professor Dick Howard,
Speaker. 18:00.
• 8th: HRH the Princess Royal officially opens
Lincoln Castle’s Magna Carta Vault.
• 8th : ‘Magna Carta: England’s Greatest Export’,
at the English – Speaking Union. Derek Taylor,
Speaker. 19:00 – 20:00.
• 8th : Italian Cultural Institute of London hosts
the 10th Italian – British Convention. Theme:
‘Constitutional Heritage of Magna Carta.’
• 9th: Magna Carta Citizenship Ceremony at
Salisbury Cathedral.
• 10th: Graham Clarke’s Starta Magna Carta
Theatra, Kent, History and Library Centre,
Maidstone.
• 10th: The Annual Lincoln Magna Carta Lecture,
Lincoln Cathedral. Lord (Igor) Judge, Speaker.
19:00 – 20:00.
• 11th: Franco – British Conference, ‘Magna Carta
and the Déclaration des Droits de l’Homme et
du Citoyen.’ Lancaster House, London. 8:30 –
17:15.
• 11th: Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Lecture, UCL
Institute of Education. Hosted by Paceworking
and the Society of Black Lawyers. 18:00 – 21:30.
• 11th - 14th : American Bar Association (ABA)
series of legal education programmes and plenary
sessions, London.
• 12th: ‘Magna Carta Canada’ exhibition opens at
the Canadian Museum of History, Ottawa.
• 12th: The launch of the River Relay, at Wraysbury.
• 12th: ‘Magna Carta – do we need a new Charter?‘
at Mint Methodist Church, Exeter. Dominic Grieve
QC, Speaker.
• 12th June – 6th September: The Lincoln and
Salisbury Barons’ Charter Trail
• 12th – 16th: Exhibition of historic documents at
Exeter Cathedral.
• 13th: Egham Magna Carta Day.
• 13th: Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity
headline Magna Carta Party at Lincoln Castle.
19:00 – 22:00.
• 13th – 14th: Magna Carta River Relay. 200 boats
led by HM the Queen’s row barge Gloriana from
Windsor to Runnymede.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
June Highlights cont.
• 15th – 19th: ‘Magna Carta 800 Medway’
Conference, hosted by The Human Rights Office.
• 13th – 14th : Great Magna Carta Weekend, Lincoln.
• 16th: Royal Holloway, University of London’s
annual Magna Carta Lecture. Speaker Rt Hon
Jack Straw. 18:15.
• 13th – 15th: Magna Carta Gala Weekend, Salisbury
Cathedral.
• 14th: Magna Carta: The Pageant, at Runnymede
Pleasure Grounds. 10:00 – 18:00.
• 17th: ‘The Legacy of Magna Carta for the Western
Balkans.’ Conference at South East European
University, Tetovo, Republic of Macedonia.
• 14th: Unveiling of a 10 – foot commemorative statue
of HM the Queen, at Runnymede. 9:00 – 14:30.
• 17th – 19th : ‘Magna Carta Project’ conference,
King’s College London and British Library.
• 14th: Commemoration at Holy Trinity Cathedral,
Auckland, New Zealand. 17:00.
• 18th: Former ABA President Stephen Zack
presents National History Day Magna Carta
Awards.
• 14th: Great Charter Festival, Royal Holloway,
University of London.
• 14th: National LiberTeas moment.
• 14th: ‘Strike a Blow for Democracy’ Bell – ringing
across the UK.
• 18th: ‘Magna Carta and the Law’, Salisbury
Cathedral. Lord (Igor) Judge, Speaker. 19:30 –
20:30.
• 14th: Temple Church Service for senior judiciaries.
• 18th: ‘The Relevance of Magna Carta Abroad’,
Bingham Centre. Chief Justice of Canada Beverly
McLachlin, Speaker. 18:00.
• 15th: Magna Carta 800th Anniversary
Commemoration, Runnymede. HM, HRH.
• 18th – 21st: The Eastern Three Choirs Festival,
Lincoln.
• 15th: Rededication of the ABA Memorial.
• 21st – 24th: ‘Magna Carta and the Freedom
of Religion or Belief’ Conference. St Hugh’s
College, Oxford.
• 15th: 12:15 pm, Red Arrows and Battle of Britain
flypast.
• 15th: Attorney General of New Zealand General
Chris Finlayson hosts reception at New Zealand
Parliament. 17:30 – 19:00.
• 15th: Magna Carta Pageant, Salisbury. Dignitaries
will seal a new Magna Carta for Wiltshire. 20:00.
• 15th: ‘Magna Carta and Contemporary Human
Rights’, United Church of Egham. Speaker Tim
Hancock, Amnesty International UK. 19:00 –
22:00.
• 15 : Lord Bates’ walk from Runnymede to
Westminster.
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• 15th: Beer Day Britain – national cheers to Magna
Carta at 12.15pm.
• 23rd: Public event at the National Library,
Wellington, New Zealand.
• 23rd: Professor Linda Colley lecture at Society of
Antiquarians. 13:00 – 14:00.
• 27th June – 27th September: ‘Lincolnshire’s Great
Exhibition’, city – wide, Lincoln.
• 28th June: Faversham’s 1300 Magna Carta tours
Kent.
• Until 25th July: ‘Magna Carta – Game of Barons’
exhibition, Trowbridge Museum.
There are many exhibitions currently running which
commemorate Magna Carta. Click here for more
information on them all.
• 15th: ‘Magna Carta: Celebrating 800 Years of Law
and Liberty’, Centre for Independent Studies,
Australia. Hon James Spigelman AC QC and Hon
Christian Porter MP, Speakers. 18:00 - 20:00.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Royal Mail Magna
Carta Stamps
Treason? Trial of the Magna
Carta Barons and Bishops
Royal Mail launched on 2nd June a suite of stamps to mark the
800th anniversary of Magna Carta, the foundation stone of the
rule of law.
It might have taken 800 years but on the 31st July 2015,
judgement shall be passed on whether the actions of the
Bishops and Barons at Runnymede in 1215 constituted
Treason, if there had been the Rule of Law, rather than the
King’s ‘divine right to rule’. A Mock Trial will take place in
Westminster Hall, Houses of Parliament where the Court met
for centuries.
To commemorate this milestone, Royal Mail worked closely
with the Magna Carta 800th Committee to produce a sixstamp set commemorating the Magna Carta itself as well as
major charters, bills and declarations inspired by it that have
developed the rule of law in the centuries since and around
the world.
As well as the Magna Carta, the 750th anniversary of Simon
de Montfort’s Parliament is also marked with a First Class
stamp. Other stamps commemorate the Bill of Rights
(1689) and the American Bill of Rights (1791); the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and from our own
century the Charter of the Commonwealth (2013).
Each stamp features an excerpt from each document or
charter, together with a woodblock illustration. The Magna
Carta design features Clause 39. The stamps are available
individually as well as in a specially-designed Presentation
Pack each pack written by Professor Nigel Saul. See
www.royalmail.com/magnacarta for more details.
Click here to purchase six stamps plus an uncirculated £2
Magna Carta commemorative coin.
The Supreme Court and The Magna Carta 800th Anniversary
Commemoration Committee are working with the Royal
Commonwealth Society to commemorate the 800th anniversary
of Magna Carta.
31st July is the final day of the Law Year. This Mock Trial
features a panel of distinguished judges (Lord Neuberger,
President of the UK Supreme Court; Dame Sian Elias, Chief
Justice of New Zealand, and Hon. Stephen Breyer, Associate
Justice of the US Supreme Court) hear the case for and
against the Barons and Bishops.
There will be two leading advocates for the prosecution, and
two for the defence, from Commonwealth countries. King John
will appear as a witness of the Prosecution. Sir Robert Rogers
(pictured), now Lord Lisvane, the witness for the Barons
and Bishops (the Commons might not exist today but for the
Barons at Runnymede on 15th June 1215).
Click here to register for the event places are limited!
Magna Carta and the Freedom of Religion or Belief
21st – 24th June. St Hugh’s College, Oxford.
Hosted by the International Center for Law
and Religion Studies, in cooperation with The
Oxford Journal of Law and Religion.
Leading academics, policy makers, lawyers,
and students will attend this conference
commemorating the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta. The
itinerary includes presentations and visits to Runnymede and
the Inns of Court, and will address a blend of historical and
current issues.
Speakers include:
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The Rt Hon Lord (Igor) Judge, Lord Chief Justice of
England and Wales (2008-2013), co-author: Magna Carta
Uncovered (Hart Publishing, 2014)
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Professor Mark Hill, QC, Cardiff University, King’s College
London, University Pretoria, co-editor: Magna Carta,
Religion, and the Rule of Law (Cambridge, 2015)
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Professor Nicholas Vincent, University of East Anglia,
The Magna Carta Project, author: Magna Carta: A Very
Short Introduction (Oxford, 2012), and Magna Carta: The
Foundation of Freedom 1215 – 2015 (Third Millennium
Publishing, 2014)
•
Professor R.H. Helmholz, University of Chicago
Law School, author: ‘Magna Carta and the Law of
Nations’, in Magna Carta, Religion, and the Rule of
Law (Cambridge, 2015)
For further highlights and to register for the event, please click
here to visit the website, or email wrightde@law.byu.edu.uk.
Click here to find out more about Magna Carta and Oxford.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Address by Her Majesty from 1953
Lest we fail to remember in the “picnic in the
park” and “LiberTeas” celebrations of the
800th anniversary of Magna Carta, let us also
Commemorate the “Address by Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth The Second at the unveiling of
the Runnymede Memorial, 17th October 1953”,
adjacent to the Runnymede Meadow:
and not enslaved. And when the life of this belief
was threatened by the iron hand of tyranny, their
successors came forward without hesitation to
fight and, if it was demanded of them, to die for
its salvation. As only free men can, they knew
the value of that for which they fought, and that
the price was worth paying.
“This memorial has been built in proud memory
of the men and women of the Air Forces of the
British Commonwealth and Empire who lost their
lives serving from bases in the United Kingdom
and North-West Europe in the Second World
War, and who have no known graves.
“They were alone in this knowledge and in this
sacrifice. At this very hour a memorial porch
is being unveiled in Chelmsford Cathedral to
commemorate some of those American airmen
who fought together with us against the same
aggression.
“They were part of a glorious and far larger
company who laid down their lives for freedom:
and this memorial is one of many others, built,
wherever the battle raged, so that they may not
be forgotten. Twenty thousand four hundred
and fifty-five names are recorded on these
stones: and all races and countries of the British
Commonwealth have here their representatives.
“With prophetic insight, Pope wrote of this hill on
which we stand:
“It is very fitting that those who rest in nameless
graves should be remembered in this place.
For it was in those fields of Runnymede seven
centuries ago that our forefathers first planted
a seed of liberty which helped to spread across
the earth the conviction that man should be free
“‘On Cooper’s Hill eternal wreaths shall grow
While lasts the mountain, or while Thames
shall flow.’
“Indeed the heroism of each be remembered
for as long as this memorial shall stand. But
that which was done by all will, with God’s help,
still be remembered when these stones have
crumbled into dust. For wherever and for as long
as freedom flourishes on the earth, the men and
women who possess it will thank them and will
say they did not die in vain. This is their true and
everlasting memorial.”
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Magna Carta in Runnymede overview
There is a host of events and activities in and around Runnymede to mark this historic moment in time.
Royal Holloway,
University of London
Spelthorne Borough
Council
Between 1st -19th June, Royal Holloway,
University of London, will open the famous
Holloway Picture Gallery in a new exhibition
titles ‘The Loss of Liberties in Victorian Art.’
This project has received funding from the Magna Carta 800th
Anniversary Commemoration Committee. It will use paintings
from the Holloway Collection to evoke discussions about
human rights.
•
On Sunday 14th June from 10am-5pm Royal Holloway,
University of London, will host The Great Charter Festival.
This free festival will take a creative and critical look upon the
themes of justice, freedom and rights. Features include:
• A family day at ‘The Loss of Liberties in Victorian Art’
exhibition.
• Watch the stories of eight influential people throughout
history come to life with the performance of the Giant
Puppets created by school children from all over Surrey.
• Entertainers Stan’s Cafe will depict the UK’s population
as 1,068kg of rice, providing lots of thought provoking
statistics.
• Presentations by Christopher Lloyd, author of ‘The Magna
Carta Chronicle’.
• At 3pm its time for tea!Royal Holloway, University of London,
hosts its own LiberTeas.
• Hand crafted Magna Carta quilts.
• The Disability arts in Surrey (DAiSY) group will showcase
music, drama and art which champion equality and freedom
of expression.
• Paintings by Alan Perriman depicting the landscape of
Runnymede as it is today and in the 13th - Century.
• A twelve minute snapshot of the Freedom Game Opera –
performed on 12th May at the Royal Albert Hall.
• Artist Hew Locke, creator of The Jurors, will talk about the
artwork to be unveiled by HRH the Duke of Cambridge on
15th June.
• Members of the Knights Templar will premiere arrangements
of Kipling’s The Reeds at Runnymede with the Royal
Holloway, University of London Chapel Choir.
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6th June: Staines – upon
– Thames Medieval
Market. There will
be demonstrations
of medieval combat,
tournaments, and trials.
Other medieval crafts will also be on show.
13th – 14th June: Spelthorne Borough
Council will be working with other
boroughs to unite Surrey around the River
Relay.
13th June: A Barons’ Gathering, at
Lammas Recreation Park. This free event
celebrates the little known fact that many
of the Magna Carta Barons assembled in
Staines – Upon – Thames before travelling
to Runnymede. Events include jousting,
combat displays, period dancing, falconry,
ale tasting, children’s activities and much
more. 12:15 – 20:15.
13th June: Watch the River Flotilla from
King’s Meadow Lawn, Sunbury – on –
Thames. From 11:00.
For further enquiries:
Catherine Learmonth, Arts and Young
people officer, Spelthorne Borough Council
(c.learmonth@spelthorne.gov.uk)
For further details, and for the full programme please click here.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Runnymede Borough
Council and Egham
Upcoming events:
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• 1st June – 29th August: Magna
Carta Pop – Up Exhibition, at
the United Church of Egham.
Organised by Egham Museum.
2nd June – 12th June: Sports Festival, hosted by Royal
Holloway, University of London – a Magna Carta trophy for
the winners.
4th June: Professor Nigel Saul Lecture, ‘Magna Carta and
the Rule of Law’, Chertsey Hall. 19:00.
7th- 14th June: Runnymede Music Festival.
10th June: Anthony Barnett Lecture, ‘A Modern Magna
Carta’, at the United Church of Egham. 19:00.
12th – 16th June: Runnymede Flower Festival. Displays will
depict the shields of the 25 Barons and the Coat of Arms of
the Charter Towns.
13th June: Egham annual Magna Carta Day. This town
tradition will feature a food and wine festival as well as a
fireworks display at Strode’s College.
13th – 14th June: Street Theatre, featuring giant puppets
created by Ballyhoo Arts and local schools.
13th – 14th June: The Magna Carta River Relay. This major
event will see 200 boats led by HM the Queen’s row barge
Gloriana, commence from Hurley on 13th June and arrive
at Runnymede Pleasure Ground on the 14th. Actors will
recount the story of Magna Carta at each of the stops. This
event has been organised by Thames Alive, Runnymede
Borough Council, Spelthorne Borough Council, and the
Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead.
14th June: ‘Magna Carta: The Pageant’. Runnymede
Pleasure Grounds, from 11am. There will be a reenactment of the events leading up to the sealing of Magna
Carta by Past Pleasures, the most experienced historical
interpretation company in the UK. A range of other family
activities will also be available. This is a ticketed event – and
all have been taken. For more information click here. 10:00
– 18:00.
14th June: The unveiling ceremony of a 10 –foot
commemorative statue of HM Queen Elizabeth II, situated
beside the River Thames at Runnymede. 9:00.
14th June: Beacon lighting at St Ann’s Hill. Includes Morris
dancing, music, and theatre.
15th June: ‘Magna Carta and Contemporary Human
Rights’, United Church of Egham. Tim Hancock, Amnesty
International UK Speaker. 19:00 – 22:00.
Until December: Chertsey Museum’s ‘Magna Carta:
Freedom Under Law’ exhibition.
Royal Borough
of Windsor and
Maidenhead
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5th – 7th June: St. Andrew’s Church
Flower Festival. Organisations and youth
groups to take part. An embroidered wall
hanging has been developed, depicting
King John sealing Magna Carta.
8th June: Relay carrying Magna Carta
through Slough, with a march in the
afternoon focusing on the flags of the
Commonwealth.
10th June: Gurkha Walk – Lincoln to
Salisbury, via Maidenhead and Windsor.
11th June: Wraysbury Players Magna
Carta play.
12th June: The launch of the River Relay
(ticketed event).
13th June: Wraysbury Fair – featuring
floats, archery, falconry, Morris dancing,
and jousting. The village will be decorated
with the colours of King John’s colours.
13th: Eton Community Fete
13th – 14th: River Relay, departing from
Hurley.
13th – 14th June: LiberTeas events across
the Royal Borough.
14th June: Songs of Praise will follow a
LiberTeas event.
14th June: Bell ringing to join the peal of
bells rung across the country.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Magna Carta
and Lincoln
The Great Magna
Carta Weekend
Lincoln is the
site of many
commemorative
Magna Carta
events. The Lincoln
Magna Carta is one of the surviving original
1215 documents, and is now housed in a
new Magna Carta Vault in Lincoln Castle. The
Charter is known as the most ‘well – travelled’
of the originals, having visited the United States
before – most recently as the main feature of
the Library of Congress’ exhibition Magna Carta:
Muse and Mentor.
A series of fun family-friendly events are being held in the city
from Thursday 11th June until Monday 15th June. These include:
HRH the Princess Royal will officially open Lincoln Castle on
the 8th June.
The Great Exhibition
Lincoln will be hosting a unique exhibition in venues across
the city from 27th June to 27th September.
Lincolnshire’s Great Exhibition will be displayed in five
venues. In the David P J Ross Magna Carta Vault there will
be one of the very rare copies of the definitive 1225 Henry
III Magna Carta. In the Wren and Medieval Libraries of the
Cathedral there will be manuscripts and printed books. For
the first time in 400 years the two volumes of the Chapter
Bible will be displayed side by side. Other artefacts will be
on display across the city.
The Historic Lincoln Trust has worked closely with the
Royal Collection, the British Library, the National Archives,
the Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Portrait Gallery,
and other great public and private collections to create the
greatest exhibition ever staged in Lincolnshire.
Click here for more information about the Great Exhibition
and the Historic Lincoln Trust.
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13th – 14th June: Across the weekend, Lincoln’s famous
Steep Hill Street will come alive with the story of King John
as told by the country’s best storytellers – from rap artists
to local performers.
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13th - 14th June: The Night of Festivals, at Brayford
Waterfront. Every 45 minutes, spectators will witness
carnivals featuring giant puppets, fireworks, and live
musicians. Saturday 10:00 – 20:00, Sunday 11:00 – 16:00.
•
14th June: ‘Barmy Britain Part 2’, a free Horrible Histories
show including a brand new Magna Carta sketch.
•
14th June: Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity are the
headline act at a Magna Party Concert at Lincoln Castle.
20:00 – 22:00.
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15th June: A carnival procession featuring a giant King John.
The Lincoln Barons’ Charter Trail
Six foot sculptures of Barons, 25 in all, have been decorated
by artists from Lincolnshire and beyond. Local businesses and
organisations have worked with the artists to devise a different
theme for each Baron, including a Squadron Leader Baron, the
Mayor of Lincoln Baron and a Steampunk Baron.
From the 12th June – 6th September, the finished sculptures
will be placed around the city centre, creating a colourful and
fun trail for visitors to follow. Each one is marked with a letter
– when all the letters are collected, they form a phrase that
can be deciphered in exchange for some of King John’s gold
(chocolate!) coins.
The Baron’s Charter Trail is a ‘Wild in Art’ event brought to
Lincoln by The Trussell Trust and Lincoln BIG. The sculptures
will be displayed for three months, before being auctioned with
all proceeds from the sales donated to The Trussell Trust, the
national foodbank charity.
The Eastern Three Choirs Festival
From Thursday 18th June to Sunday 21st June Lincoln there will
be choral and other music at Lincoln Cathedral. A full listing of
performances can be downloaded here from our site.
Click here for more information about Magna Carta and Lincoln.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Magna Carta, Salisbury and Trowbridge.
Chapter House at Salisbury Cathedral houses the
finest preserved 1215 Magna Carta (pictured).
‘Magna Carta: Spirit of Justice, Power of Words’
is a new exhibition and one of many opportunities
in Wiltshire to engage with the relevance of the
Great Charter in this commemoration month.
There are many activities on offer in the neighbouring town of
Trowbridge.
Upcoming events at Salisbury:
•
Magna Carta Walks: Liberty, Justice, and Power. This
guided walk will take place on the 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th of
June. Walks begin from Salisbury Information Centre.
Click here for more information.
•
Calligraphy Workshops: on 6th and 20th June. Salisbury
Cathedral.
•
7th June: ‘Magna Carta’s American Adventure,’ Salisbury
Cathedral. Professor Dick Howard, Speaker. 18:00.
•
9th: Magna Carta Citizenship Ceremony at Salisbury
Cathedral.
•
9th June: Spotlight talk at the Library and Archive of
Salisbury Cathedral. 11:00 – 11:30.
•
12th June – 6th September: The Barons’ Charter Trail
Salisbury 2015.
•
13th – 15th June: Magna Carta Gala Weekend. Concerts
at Salisbury Cathedral.
•
13th June – 15th September: ‘Enlightenment’, an
interactive lighting projection in the Cathedral’s North
Porch.
•
14th June: Magna Carta Eucharist. Music from a newly
written setting by the Cathedral’s Director of Music.
10:30.
•
14th June: A free LiberTeas event.
•
15th June: Magna Carta Pageant. Dignitaries will seal
a new Magna Carta statement for Wiltshire in the 21stCentury. 20:00.
•
15th June: Magna Carta Celebration in the Cathedral
Close, in partnership with Wiltshire Council.
•
18th June: ‘Magna Carta and the Law,’ Salisbury
Cathedral. Lord (Igor) Judge, Speaker. 19:30 – 20:30.
•
20th June: Magna Carta display at Old Sarum. 10:00 –
18:00.
•
20th June: Salisbury Playhouse Stage ’65 Youth Theatre.
Salisbury Cathedral. 19:00m and 20:30.
Upcoming events at Trowbridge and Wiltshire:
•
Until 25th July: ‘Magna Carta – Game of Barons’
exhibition at Trowbridge Museum.
•
Until 30th September: Magna Carta Window Display
Competition – can you find all the Henry de Bohun Coat
of Arms in businesses supporting the Great Charter
celebrations?
•
13th June: Lacock Abbey ‘Magna Carta’ exhibition.
•
13th – 14th June: Strike a blow for democracy. Bell ringers
across the UK will take part.
•
14th June: Trowbridge LiberTeas event.
Click here for more information about Magna Carta and
Salisbury.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Faversham’s Magna
Carta tours Kent
‘Magna Carta Rediscovered’ has
opened in Faversham and will now tour
Kent. Faversham’s 1300 Magna Carta
is in excellent condition and features the
seal of King Edward I. The Charter is in
the custodianship of Faversham Town
Council, lead partners in this project with Visit Kent.
Magna Carta New Zealand
The Magna Carta 800 Committee for New
Zealand is chaired by Dr Jennifer LeesMarshment at the University of Auckland.
Through a range of events the Committee
hopes not just to reflect on the past, but to
promote a debate about how New Zealand
may develop in the decades to come. On Monday 16th
March, a Magna Carta essay competition was launched
by Attorney - General Chris Finlayson for all New Zealand
secondary and tertiary students. Upcoming commemoration events:
The exhibition at The Alexander Centre (until Sunday, 28th
June), uses modern interpretive techniques to present the
story. The exhibition offers a chance to view the Faversham
Magna Carta, one of Kent’s most important treasures, rarely
on public display. The history of Magna Carta is united with
its contemporary importance.
•
9th June: Canterbury Historical Association Panel:
‘Magna Carta, Rights and Legacies’. Magna Carta and
New Zealand major theme. 18:30.
•
14th June: Commemoration at Holy Trinity Cathedral,
Auckland. 17:00.
The exhibition is enhanced with a series of interactives
presenting the main figures involved in the events on the 15th
June, including a ‘Table of Negotiation’ game. The impact
of Magna Carta across the world is visually illustrated with
the opportunity to find out more about the location of these
Charters
•
15th June: Attorney - General Chris Finlayson hosts
a reception at Grand Hall of Parliament, Wellington.
17:30 – 19:00.
•
15th June: Auckland Bell Ringers to ring for Magna
Carta from St. Mathews Tower.
•
19th June: Special feature in the New Zealand Law
Society’s magazine, ‘Law Talk.’
•
23rd June: Public event at The National Library,
Wellington.
•
6th – 10th July: Magna Carta Lecture series at the
University of Auckland. Multiple lectures and events –
click here for more information.
•
7th July: ‘The Maori Magna Carta – Waitangi and
Beyond’, at the University of Auckland. 18:45.
Visitors can explore topics in depth with the transcription
and translation of clauses within Magna Carta and can
investigate many different topics contained in the charter.
Whilst in Faversham, ‘Magna Carta Rediscovered’ is
supported by the Faversham Charters Collection, which
complements the main exhibition with displays of Charters
from the town’s collection, described by Professor Nicholas
Vincent as being ‘a magnificent collection’
When ‘Magna Carta Rediscovered’ closes in Faversham
on Sunday 28th June, it will tour Kent, at Canterbury,
Maidstone, Dover, Sandwich and Rochester.
The exhibition has been sponsored by the Heritage Lottery
Fund, the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemoration
Committee and Southeastern Railway.
For further information visit www.magnacartarediscovered.
co.uk
Click here for more information about Magna Carta and
Kent.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
International overview cont.
Events to commemorate the sealing of Magna Carta are taking place across the world.
The American Bar
Association (ABA)
The ABA has taken the lead with
commemorating Magna Carta in the
United States. With the Magna Carta 800th
Anniversary Commemoration Committee, the ABA Division
for Public Education has developed Icon of Liberty under
Law, a multimedia website which links Magna Carta to
statutes and sites of importance across the globe. The
ABA Magna Carta Memorial is at Runnymede to mark the
importance of the Great Charter internationally.
The Library of Congress hosted an original 1215 Charter
in 2014 at the exhibition ‘Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor.’
The ABA hosted Magna Carta events across the United
States on national Law Day, on the 1st May.
Upcoming commemoration events:
•
An ABA video, ‘Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom
under Law’ won a first place honours in the 36th annual
Telly Awards. Click here to view this film.
•
1st June: ‘Magna Carta’s American Adventure,’ at the
British Library. Distinguished medievalist Professor Dick
Howard, Speaker. 18:30 – 20:00.
•
8 June: Professor Howard will speak at the United
States Embassy, London. Private event.
•
11th – 14th June: The ABA present a series of legal
education programmes and plenary sessions in
London.
th
•
15th June, Runnymede. The Princess Royal and
ABA President William Hubbard rededication of ABA
Memorial with Royal Marine Band playing O’Neill’s
1215: Foundation of Liberty and Gregg’s The Glorious
800th.
•
18th June: ABA Magna Carta Anniversary Committee
Chair Stephen Zack will present National History Day
Magna Carta Awards
Magna Carta Canada
Canada is proudly participating in the worldwide
celebrations of Magna Carta, with several
significant initiatives.
Durham Cathedral’s original copy of the 1300
exemplifications of both Magna Carta and The Charter of
the Forest will visit Canada in a new exhibition. This will
open on 12th June 2015 at the Canadian Museum of History
in Ottawa. The exhibition will then travel to:
•
Winnipeg – Canadian Museum for Human Rights – 15th
August, 2015 to 18th September, 2015
•
Toronto – Fort York Visitor Centre – 4th October 2015
to 7th November 2015
•
Edmonton – Legislative Assembly of Alberta Visitor
Centre – 23rd November 2015 to 29th December 2015.
Further achievements include:
•
A book, Magna Carta and its Gifts to Canada, launched
at the University of Toronto on 2nd May.
•
A bill, The Magna Carta Day Act, designates 15th June
annually as Magna Carta Day in Ontario. This has
received a second reading and it is hoped that it will
become law.
•
53,000 Canadian teachers have been invited to take
part in an education programme, which uses the
‘Magna Carta Chronicle’ timeline.
Click here to find out more about the United States and
Magna Carta.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
International overview cont.
Events to commemorate the sealing of Magna Carta are taking place across the world.
Australia
The Rule of Law Institute of Australia has
recently launched an exhibition, ‘Magna Carta:
to no one will we deny justice’, at the Australia High Court
of Justice. More information on this can be found later in this
newsletter.
The Institute has sponsored a conference, ‘Judicial
Independence in Australia: Contemporary Challenges, Future
Directions,’ at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, on 10th
– 11th July.
The Institute has produced a poster to assist with the teaching
of Magna Carta, which can be viewed here.
The Institute has produced a companion film to the 800th
anniversary, which can be viewed here.
The Magna Carta Committee of Australia, is organising a
public event at Magna Carta Place, Canberra on Sunday
afternoon, 14 July 2015. More information about this can be
found here.
Commonwealth Caribbean
The University of the West Indies is leading commemoration
events in the Caribbean. Dr Hamid Ghany organised a
lecture series funded by the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary
Commemoration Committee, which has engaged thousands
of students studying in countries throughout the English
Speaking Caribbean.
Magna Carta and the Commonwealth Caribbean runs
between October 2014 – July 2015. For more information
about the project click here.
European Seminars and
Debates in Continental
Europe.
On the 5th March 2015, His Excellency Péter Szabadhegy
hosted a Magna Carta lecture at the Hungarian Embassy,
London.
Speaking on the panel
(pictured, left to right) were
Professor Gábor Hamza, of
the Department of Civil Law at
the Eötvös Loránd University
School of Law; Sir Robert
Worcester, Chairman of the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary
Commemoration Committee; Professor Justin Fisher, Brunel
University, Chair of the Magna Carta 800th Academic Sub –
Committee who discuss Magna Carta 1215 and the Golden
Bull of Hungary.
Professor Robert Blackburn of King’s College London
has been instrumental in bringing Magna Carta debates to
Europe. Events include:
•
25th May, Professor Blackburn spoke at the Centre
for European Constitutional Law (CECL), Athens,
alongside Professor Spyridon Flogaitis, chaired by
Professor Xenophon Contiades, Director of CECL. The
theme was ‘800 Years of Magna Carta – UK and Greek
perspectives.’
•
17thJune, ‘The Legacy of Magna Carta for the Western
Balkans.’ Conference at South East European
University, Tetovo, Republic of Macedonia.
•
12th November, a seminar at the European Court
of Human Rights, Strasbourg. This will be opened
by President of the Court, Judge Dean Spielmann
and introduced by Professor Blackburn. This will be
followed by a series of presentations from a panel of
distinguished legal, political and historical experts.
•
Date TBA: A Magna Carta seminar at the Universities of
Perugia or Brecia and at Amiens, France – more details
to follow. Click here for more information about King’s College
London and Magna Carta.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Magna Carta Committee of the
Rule of Law Institute of Australia
Magna Carta at Italian –
British Seminar.
The Magna Carta Committee of the Rule
of Law Institute of Australia launched
the exhibition “To None Will We Deny
Justice” in the Public Hall at the High
Court of Australia on the 13th May 2015.
On the 8th June 2015, the Italian Cultural
Institute of London will host the 10th ItalianBritish Conversation. This year the focus
will be “The Constitutional Heritage of
Magna Carta”.
The exhibition was opened by Professor Nicholas Cowdery AM
QC, Chair of the Committee. Prior to the opening 400 students
had already experienced the exhibition and many thousands more
are expected to visit leading up to the 800th Anniversary on the 15th
of June.
The seminar, co-organised by the Italian Cultural
Institute, the Devolution Club and the UK
Constitutional Law Association, under the High
Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, is
focused on the constitutional legacy of the document
that was sealed on the 15th June by King John.
Though drafted in a clear context of feudal rebellion,
Magna Carta gave room to the idea of individual
freedom and limitation of the power, one of the
cornerstones of all contemporary democracies.
Featuring numerous colourful illustrations (pictured) and
depictions of historical events surrounding the grant of Magna
Carta, the exhibition provides students with activities where they
learn about central principles such as the Rule of Law, power and
governance, and criminal punishment.
The exhibition launch followed a lecture by Professor Paul Brand,
of English Legal History from All Souls College, Oxford. Professor
Brand was welcomed by the Honourable Chief Justice of the High
Court of Australia, Robert French AC, and was introduced by a
Justice of the High Court, the Honourable Kenneth Hayne AC.
Professor Brand’s lecture was entitled “Magna Carta and the
Development of the Common Law” and provided an account of
the Magna Carta’s central role in the history of the Common Law
in the context of Medieval England.
The lecture and exhibition launch were attended by the Justices
of the High Court of Australia, the High Commissioners for the
United Kingdom, Singapore and Canada, the Chief Justice of the
Australian Capital Territory, and many other distinguished guests.
How far can a Royal Charter written in early 13th
Century be considered fundamental to building
modern freedoms? The speakers will be Professor
Maurizio Fioravanti, a legal historian at the Unviersity
of Firenze, Florence, Italy, and Nicholas Bamforth,
Fellow in Law, Queen’s College Oxford.
The Seminar will be introduced by Professor
Alessandro Torre, Constitutional Lawyer from Bari,
Italy, and President of the Devolution Club. Sebastian
Payne, of the UK Constitutional Law Association, will
serve as Chair. The lectiones will be discussed by
Peter Leyland, a constitutional lawyer from London.
Click here for more information about Magna Carta and Australia.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Arundel Castle Celebrates Magna Carta
Arundel Castle in West Sussex (pictured) is to host
an exhibition exploring the role that Magna Carta
has played throughout its history.
Keen to maintain the Castle’s reverence for Magna Carta, this
year its exhibition will be dedicated to the historic Charter. The
exhibition will contain letters, photographs and other material
from the Duke of Norfolk’s Library and Archives.
The famous clause 13, ‘To no one will we sell, to no one deny
or delay right of justice’ came to be seen as the foundation of
English Liberty and freedom in subsequent centuries – with
Charles Howard, the 11th Duke of Norfolk, a keen supporter of
this.
Castle Manager Bryan McDonald comments: “The significance
of Magna Carta has not waned in the 800 years since its
confirmation. It feels particularly fitting that Arundel Castle
should commemorate its 800th anniversary, even if not on the
same scale as Charles Howard’s celebrations of the 600th
anniversary in 1815! We hope that our visitors will enjoy the
opportunity to explore some of the treasures from Arundel
Castle’s Archives and learn more about how Magna Carta
influenced the Castle’s history.”
With his political ideals of liberty and justice in mind, the 11th
Duke opted for a Gothic restoration of Arundel Castle in the
1790s, including a carved stone relief of King Alfred instituting
Trial by Jury. The great Barons’ Hall at Arundel Castle was
originally built by the Duke in commemoration of the Magna
Carta Barons. He also hosted a lavish party at Arundel Castle
in 1815 to commemorate the 600th anniversary or Magna
Carta.
For more information about Arundel Castle and its events, visit
www.arundelcastle.org.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
The Devon & Somerset
Law Society (DASLS)
Lord Bates – a Magna
Carta Pilgrimage
The DASLS has
announced a
programme of events
to celebrate the 800th
anniversary of the
sealing of Magna Carta.
This includes a lecture
from the former Attorney General, the Right Honourable
Dominic Grieve QC, on the 12th June. Other events include:
Thursday 11th June: Presentation of essay prizes, sponsored
by Browne Jacobson, Exeter Guildhall
Lord (Michael)
Bates’, a Minister
at the Home Office
and former MP,
is marking the
anniversary with a twenty-five mile walk from
Runnymede to Westminster. Magna Carta is
the foundation of our liberty and our parliament.
Michael has undertaken a number of long
distance walks; in 2011 he walked 3,000 miles
from Olympia, Greece, to London and in 2014 he
walked 1,000 miles from Westminster to Berlin. Sunday 14th June: Legal Sunday Service and procession of
legal dignitaries. Procession commences 11.20 am followed
by a Reception for all participants at the Corn Exchange,
Exeter, hosted by the High Sheriff of Devon & DASLS.
Lord Bates, pictured, said, “Each person will want to reflect
the significance of Magna Carta’s anniversary in their own
way. For me that way is walking between two cornerstones of
our great country.”
Friday 12th June – Tuesday 16th June: Exhibition of historic
documents at, Exeter Cathedral (pictured)
Click here for more information about Magna Carta and
Parliament.
Wednesday 3rd June: Exeter Magna Carta Legal Walk
(www.swist.org.uk)
Thursday 11th June : MOOT, a legal debate for law students.
5-7pm, Exeter Guildhall
For further information please contact: Tony Steiner
DASLS, 01392 366 333
Click here to find out more about Magna Carta and Exeter.
Magna Carta 800 Medway
Conference –
The Human Rights Office
15th – 19th June
Preparations are nearing completion for this educational
conference. It will include an exhibition and workshops
focused on understanding human rights, the Rule of Law
and the development of both across history. A key objective
of the project is to link this historic event to the role of
citizenship, with an international focus.
Click here for more information.
New list of Battlefields
sites developed by the
Battlefields Trust
A comprehensive list of Magna Carta
Battlefields has been developed by
the Battlefields Trust. The list, part of
the Magna Carta 800th Battlefields
project, covers more than sixty sites of
importance and can be viewed here on
our website.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Magna Carta exhibition
opens in Durham city
‘Magna Carta and the Changing face of Revolt’
explores the Charter as part of a long history of
rebellion. The exhibition will run from the 1st June
to 31st August 2015, at Durham University’s
Palace Green Library, in the heart of Durham
City’s UNESCO World Heritage site.
The exhibition evaluates the contested identity of the ‘citizen’,
and features key moments in history such as the Wars of
the Roses, the Great Reform Acts, and the Suffragette
movement.
Magna Carta Trails
Commemorate Magna Carta’s 800th Anniversary
with a trip through the historical sites which played
major roles in the birth of the Great Charter.
•
Trail 1: London to Windsor
Includes the City of London, British Library, Runnymede,
Windsor and Odiham.
•
Trail 2: Salisbury and Wiltshire
Includes Salisbury, Stonehenge and Trowbridge.
•
Trail 3: Cathedral Cities of the North
Includes Lincoln, York, Cartmel, and Durham.
•
Trail 4: Kent and East Sussex
Includes Canterbury, Faversham, Rochester, Dover
Castle and Pevensey.
•
Trail 5: East of England
Includes St Albans, Bury St Edmunds, Framlingham,
Norwich.
•
Trail 6: The Heart of England
Includes Oxford, Worcester, Evesham, and Hereford.
On display will be the only surviving copy of the 1216 issue
of Magna Carta, on loan from the collections of Durham
Cathedral. The unique Charter will be shown alongside
objects from Durham University’s collections and loans from
other regional and national museums and libraries. These
include:
The Great Reform Act of 1832 (properly known as An Act
to amend the Representation of the People in England and
Wales) from the Parliamentary Archives.
The beautiful Bosworth Cross of Richard III, from the
collections of the Society of Antiquaries, London.
An impressive set of over 100 coins from the
Breckenbrough Hoard, from York Museums Trust.
The Lacock Cup – a rare survival of a beautifully crafted
medieval feasting cup, from the British Museum.
Click here for more information about Magna Carta
and Durham.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
Books
There are many books being released this year to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta. All
books here can be viewed, with more information provided, on our books section on our website.
Magna Carta Chronicle: Young
Person’s Guide to 800 Years in
the Fight for Freedom
Christopher Lloyd and Patrick
Skipworth
What on Earth Publishing
(Launching 21 April 2015)
www.whatonearthbooks.com £8.99
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.
Magna Carta: The Foundation of
Freedom 1215-2015
Magna Carta: Nicholas Vincent, Editor and
Contributor, Third Millennium Publishing,
(1 April 2015) £24.50 pb, £29.50 hb
With Nicholas Vincent leading off with the law before
Magna Carta, Plantagenet tyranny, King John, etc., joining
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.
Fantastic timeline, fun and informative, 11-14 year olds.
Magna Carta and the Rule of Law
This book was written by a
distinguished international group of
scholars and features a foreword by
Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Sandra Day O’Connor. Dan Magraw
is a member of the American Bar
Association and a member of the Magna Carta 800th
Anniversary Commemoration Committee, alongside
former American Bar Association President Stephen
Zacks.
Magna Carta
Carpenter, David
David Carpenter’s commentary draws
on new discoveries to provide a
comprehensive assessment of Magna
Carta and its relevance in legal and
political issues.
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Newsletter / Issue 16
June 2015
800th Commemorative Merchandise
We have a wide range of Magna Carta 800th commemorative
products available for sale at our exclusive online shop:
3
www.magnacarta800th.com/shop
Tea Towel
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.
Pen & Notebook
£45
£6
The Great
Charter of the
Liberties of
England Book
Magna Carta Facsimile
Script Black Mug
£1500
£6
The Seal of
Magna Carta
Replica
£20
£13
USB Drive
Gold Metal
Keyring
Gold Metal
Lapel Pin
Gold Metal
Cufflinks
£8
£6
£6
£10
Laptop Bag
£20
Silver Money
Clip
Black
Umbrella
£20
£90
Polo Top
Rugby Top
£25
£30
Check our Exclusive Magna Carta deal at:
www.radissonblu-edwardian.com/magnacarta
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