February 22, 2018 11.20 am This story is over 73 months old

Medieval experts restore prized collection of royal Lincoln charters

The precious documents date back to the 12th century.
The rare collection spans 400 years. Photo: University of Lincoln

A collection of royal Lincoln charters spanning nearly 400 years will be restored and protected for future generations by Medieval experts.

The ‘Lincoln Charters Project’ involved precious documents belonging to the city, including a number from the reign King John, King Richard II and King Henry V.

The collection of royal charters, which belong to the City of Lincoln, span nearly 400 years

Conservators will preserve and digitally record the prized manuscripts, dating back to the 12th century, on behalf of partners the University of Lincoln and the City of Lincoln Council.

This will be the first time that the city’s charters have been inspected and repaired since 1788 when Samuel Lyon, the city’s Town Clerk, carried out the work.

This will be the first time that the city’s charters have been inspected and repaired since 1788

While some of the documents have been put on display in the city’s Guildhall, many have not been seen since they were placed into the Lincolnshire Archives in 1904.

The project will provide a unique teaching experience for students on the University’s BA (Hons) Conservation of Cultural Heritage.

It is also hoped that the restored charters will eventually form a new display in the city’s Guildhall for the public to enjoy.

Dr Lynda Skipper, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in the university’s School of History and Heritage, said: “Our work aims to preserve the charters to the city for future generations to appreciate.”