Medieval charter inspires Clare to pen book about Borough's history
Research used to curate a special museum exhibition which helped to mark a momentous milestone has now been turned into a new, limited-edition book by a member of council staff.
“The Lost Charter, 1173-2023, 850 years of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme” looks at the growth of the borough since 1173 when it was granted a royal charter by King Henry II after a population grew around a “new castle” built by the Normans.
The book, written by collections officer Clare Griffiths, covers different eras, the importance of burgesses at one time and features images from the museum’s collections, including an artist’s interpretation of the New Castle, a painting of Pool Dam in 1841 – the only known view of the castle pool – and High Street charter celebrations in 1935.
It complements “The Lost Charter” exhibition hosted by Brampton Museum in 2023 as part of a year-long programme of cultural events – organised by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council – to help residents, businesses and visitors celebrate the borough’s 850th anniversary. The exhibition showcased a display of all the borough’s charters for the first time, including a recreated version of the 1173 document which has been lost to history.
The original royal charter – the borough’s birth certificate in unofficial terms – gave special rights and freedoms to residents that went on to shape the borough as we know it. Perhaps most notably this included the right to hold an outdoor market, a long-held tradition that’s still an important aspect of the town’s vitality and success.
The limited-edition book, which marks the final chapter in the 850th anniversary celebrations, has been restricted to a print run of 100 copies and can be purchased at Brampton Museum for £10.
Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, contributed the acknowledgement section of the book, which made a point of thanking everyone involved in last year’s 850th anniversary celebration.
He said:
I’m thrilled that this fantastic book has been published. It takes what we know about the lost charter as a starting point and gives a brief history of our loyal and ancient borough over the past 850 years using the surviving charters.
It’s a really interesting read and would make a perfect Christmas present. I would like to acknowledge Clare’s expertise and dedication in making this idea a reality, following her accompanying exhibition which was also excellent.
The celebration of the borough’s 850th anniversary last year was a momentous occasion. One of my ambitions was to create a lasting legacy for residents and I’m delighted that this has been achieved, not only with this great book but with the inception of the Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Heroes Awards and the recent installation of the Queen Elizabeth II statue in Queens Gardens, which commemorates her visit in 1973 for the borough’s 800th anniversary.”
The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and Sundays from 1.30pm to 5pm. The last day to buy the book before Christmas is Sunday, 22 December.
Author Clare added:
I’ve never written a book before, and it’s not something I thought I’d ever do in my job, so I feel proud.
“A lot of research went into the museum exhibition; I thought it would be a good idea to follow the same theme for the book, but with much more detail. It was hard work, and challenging at times, but I’m very pleased with the end result.”
The earliest surviving charter of Trinity Fair, issued by King Edward I, dates back to 1281.