THE OLDEST item in the City of London’s archives is to go on display at Guildhall this month.
The tiny strip of parchment comes from the ‘William Charter’ – a document which dates back to 1067 and was given by William the Conqueror to the City of London to confirm the legal rights of London’s citizens.
It can be seen at the City of London Heritage Gallery at Guildhall Art Gallery from January 7th until April 27, and is just the first in a programme of events this year to celebrate the City’s archives, both at Guildhall and at the London Metropolitan Archive at Clerkenwell.
Geoff Pick, the City of London Corporation’s Director of Archives, commented:
“The City of London Corporation’s archives are, arguably, the best of any city in the world and it is entirely appropriate that we are marking 950 years of the City’s stewardship of these remarkable collections. LMA’s team of archivists and conservators take great pride in caring for these items and documents, which are of immense value in preserving and celebrating London’s written memory.
“My colleagues and I are looking forward to this year’s programme of events, and we hope that visitors to LMA will enjoy viewing items from the collections here and at the City of London Heritage Gallery at Guildhall Art Gallery.”