Elke Cwiertnia and Paul Dryburgh, National Archives, UK

Examination of the Barons’ letter and historical documentation of the seals

In February 1301 Edward I of England drafted, sealed but never sent a letter to Boniface VIII challenging the pope’s claim to feudal suzerainty over Scotland. One of the most important documents in The National Archives, the letter survives in two copies both sealed by the barons of England then assembled in Parliament at Lincoln. TNA E 26/2 has 93 seals, and E 26/1 has 87 virtually duplicate seals. These represent some of the finest examples of the seal makers’ craft, as well as providing important evidence for early baronial heraldry. The National Archives is currently running a research project to scientifically examine the material content of these seals to throw light on their composition and the whole process of sealing.

The Barons’ Letter is possibly the best documented record in The National Archives, the seals having over four centuries been drawn, engraved, painted, photographed and now digitised. In about 1840 the seals were detached from both copies to allow better storage and preservation and were given individual descriptions and numbers. It was probably about the same time that they were also conserved. In the early twentieth century plaster moulds were taken, thus preserving sculpted images of the seals. In some instances these still provide unique information from seals lost due to for example degradation. In the late twentieth century the cords to which the seals are attached were allocated with letters.

The Letter and the seals attached raise a number of important questions such as:

• How many types of sealing wax (colours) and cords are used on both copies and is there a difference between the two copies?
• Were the two copies sealed at the same time?
• In what order were the seals applied – horizontally across all the cords (left to right) or vertically down the first cord, then down the second cord and so on?

Especially interesting would be to discover whether we can identify those seals applied later since there is payment for wax to be used by absentee barons then on campaign?

This interdisciplinary research project – between historians, conservation scientists and conservators, has helped to establish a new methodological approach to the work on archival documents in The National Archive focussing on materiality and its historical and archival context. It has also highlighted the importance of detailed record keeping of all conservation steps, including re-housing of documents. This presentation will address all facets of this innovative research collaboration and share the findings of relevance to historians, archivists, conservators, material scientists and sigillographers.