Magna Carta Island in the River Thames goes on sale - BBC News BBC News Magna Carta Island in the River Thames goes on sale 21 July 2014 Close share panel Image copyright Sotheby's Image caption The island has 400m (437yds) of river frontage and is connected to the mainland by a small bridge An island in the River Thames in Berkshire - which may have been where the Magna Carta was sealed in 1215 - has gone on sale for nearly £4m. Magna Carta Island sits in the river opposite the Runnymede Meadow, where, according to historians, the rebellious barons camped ahead of the deal. King John and his men are thought to have gathered opposite for protection. The island comes with a Grade II-listed house, a cottage, outdoor swimming pool and mooring for a boat. A small bridge connects the 3.72 acre (1.5 hectare) island, which has a price tag of £3,950,000, to the mainland.

Image copyright Sotheby's Image caption The new owner will become the custodian of a stone on which it is claimed the charter was signed A stone, on which it has been claimed the charter was signed, lies today in a specially-built Charter Room which forms part of the main house. Its walls are hung with the crest of King John and those of the 25 barons elected to keep the Magna Carta safe, including Richard de Montfichet who was the owner of the island , which was part of the Manor of Wraysbury. The house was built by George Simon Harcourt, Lord of the Manor and the Sheriff of the County in 1834. What is Magna Carta? Magna Carta - meaning Great Charter - enshrined basic freedoms and limited the King's authority. The publication has its origins in a dispute between King John and English barons and guaranteed basic freedoms and property rights to "free men" while subjecting the sovereign to the laws of the land for the first time. It is regarded as the cornerstone of liberty in the English-speaking world and the source of fundamental concepts of law, including trial by jury, protection against excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishment.

The first document was sealed - not signed - in 1215 by King John. The final one was issued in 1300. Seventeen versions survive from the 13th Century. While the charter itself names Runnymede as the place it was sealed, the island may have been considered part of Runnymede at the time. Stuart Cole, from Sotheby's International Realty, said: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy a piece of world history where the rule of law was first forged.

"Not only is Magna Carta Island a idyllic private island in the Thames with 402 metres of prime river frontage, it is widely acknowledged to have been the site of the signing of the Magna Carta, perhaps the most significant charter in history." Image copyright Sotheby’s Image caption In 2015, the UK is marking the anniversary of the sealing of the first "Great Charter" by King John in 1215 Magna Carta Island goes on sale | The Independent Property Magna Carta Island goes on sale The historic island in Berkshire where Magna Carta was reputedly sealed has been put up for sale for £4m by Sotheby's. But what's it like to call such a momentous landmark home? Charlotte Philby talks to the current owner Monday 21 July 2014 23:00 BST Click to follow The Independent Online Sign here, please: Magna Carta Island Property for sale: in need of modernisation. Six bedrooms. Large dining room. Reception. Breakfast room. Swimming pool. 402m of riverbank. A moat.

And a Charter Room housing the stone on which Magna Carta is believed to have been sealed on this very spot in 1215. Househunters craving original features and a sense of history (at least those with a £4m-plus budget) could do worse than Magna Carta Island, a 3.725-acre residence on the banks of the River Thames which Sotheby's Realty claims "is widely acknowledged to have been the site of the signing of perhaps the most significant charter in history," paving the way for liberty and the established rule of law in England and Wales, and forming the basis for the Declaration of Independence in the United States. Boasting a main house, cottage, double garage and nearly four acres of gardens, the island is accessed, surprisingly, by land. Visitors arriving from the main road, three miles from Staines, approach from the north bank past the Ankerwycke Estate, on which, explains Graham Cooper, its current owner, stands the remains of a nunnery where Henry VIII is reputed to have courted Anne Boleyn – offering a neat segue to the rich history of the island itself, which stands beyond a bridge accessed through a small woodland.

Magna Carta Island for sale Magna Carta Island for sale 1/4 Magna Carta Island for sale The interior of the house 2/4 Magna Carta Island for sale The Magna Carta monument at Runnymede (Alamy) Alamy 3/4 Magna Carta Island for sale The Magna Carta (AP) 4/4 Magna Carta Island for sale Sign here, please: Magna Carta Island Magna Carta Island was privately owned until Sir Patrick Hannon, then chairman of the industrial combine Birmingham Small Arms (BSA), who had bought it in the late 1920s and restored the house and gardens to their former glory, gave the property to Buckinghamshire County Council in the days before the land became part of Berkshire. "They didn't seem to know what to do with it," says Mr Cooper, who has lived here on and off since his parents bought the place in 1967, when he was 20. "There was a succession of tenants; last of all an American authoress called Miss Bigelow who had many poodles. Whenever someone came to collect the rent, she set the poodles on them.

When she left, they let it lie fallow." That was until the Coopers bought and revamped the place. It became the location for many a grand do hosted by the late Mrs Cooper, Graham's mother, "a tremendous party animal". "She was a very keen car enthusiast who became a member of the Maserati owners club and would have a party at start of each season," Mr Cooper explains. There would be 40 vehicles parked in the driveway and revellers spilling through a huge hallway with its inglenook fireplace, and the same timber stairs that still lead to the Magna Carta room with its stained-glass windows, wooden beams, the painted crest of the barons looming large from the walls – and in the middle, the inscribed stone, celebrating the signing of the Great Charter. Today, the dining room stands to the right of the same hallway with wood panelling, a grand stone fireplace and arched windows overlooking the terrace with its swimming pool, and extensive lawns tumbling down towards the water. In the summer in which the Coopers first moved in, they would look up from their lunch table and see families piling onto the grass with rugs and baskets for a riverside picnic, believing it still to be public land.

As well as the main house, which was built in 1834 by George Simon Harcourt, Lord of the Manor and then Sheriff of the County, a second cottage and double garage are part of the residential bundle, as well as a private mooring, built by Graham Cooper's father "so the Queen could land with ease and in sufficient grandeur" when she came to plant a walnut tree in the grounds as part of her River Progress in 1974. It is "the provenance of the island", says estate agent Stuart Cole, that made it hard to value. "If you took it in isolation in the locality it would be worth much less than this. But [Sotheby's auction house] sold a copy of the Magna Carta for $20m recently, and that was just a piece of paper." Whether King John, who met his rebellious barons in 1215 to seal the document widely regarded as the cornerstone of liberty in the English-speaking world, authenticated the deed here or on the mainland, is up for grabs.

Dr Louise Wilkinson, a reader in medieval history at Canterbury Christ Church University, explains: "All we know is that Magna Carta was sealed [not signed, which is a common misconception] by King John in June 1215. As to location, the 1215 charter itself says, it was 'given by our [King John's] hand in the meadow called Runnymede, between Windsor and Staines, on the fifteenth day of June in the seventeenth year of our reign'. "I am not aware of any strictly contemporary evidence linking it specifically to what is now called 'Magna Carta Island," she adds, "though "it is very close to Runnymede." Indeed, some experts question how great the charter really was. In his book A History of Britain, Simon Schama argued that Magna Carta – which focused on rights relating to barons – was not the birth certificate of freedom but rather the death certificate of despotism. Nonetheless, with a guide price of £3.95m, Stuart Cole believes the island will soon be snapped up. "The phone has not stopped ringing," he says. "We've had calls from famous people and people around the world.

"We think someone from an American legal company will be the eventual buyer – they are so tied into how [Magna Carta] built their constitution," he adds. Whoever bags it, Graham Cooper believes will be a lucky soul: "It's a wonderful, warm friendly house with wonderful karma. I am single, retired, the house is far too big for me. When I go it will be a very sad day but there comes a time when it's time to move on." TimeRef - Medieval and Middle Ages History Timelines - The Magna Carta John's Great Charter (the Magna Carta) A large number of barons, led by Stephen Langton the archbishop of Canterbury, meet King John on an island in the Thames at Runnymede. They forced the king to sign the 'Great Charter' or Magna Carta that would limit the power of the monarchy. The barons insisted that the old feudal contract should be reinstated and that the king should abide by the laws that the rest of the population did. The feudal contract allowed the barons to run their own lands, renting it from the king but paying rent by supplying knights rather than money. This feudal system had been set up by William the Conqueror.

[1] The Magna Carta is annulled Pope Innocent III annulled the Magna Carta freeing King John from its limitations. The Pope annulled the charter on the grounds that the King only signed it because he was forced to and that the document was illegal. The Pope was prepared to support John against the rebel barons because he wanted him to take a key role in a new crusade. Baron's war After the Magna Carta was annulled and it was clear that John was not going to agree to the terms of the charter the civil war between King John and the rebel barons started. The barons offered the English crown to Prince Louis, the son of King Philippe II of France and invited him to invade England. John confiscated the rebel barons' lands and gave them to his own supporters. King John besieged Rochester Castle where a garrison of men had been left by the barons. The garrison was starved out and the castle fell to the King. 1216 Magna Carta Magna Carta and the Ankerwycke Yew Magna Carta In 1215 the barons of England found themselves in conflict with King John, who was obliged to concede to their complaints.

On 15 June of that year, after nine days of talks, the Magna Carta was agreed at Runnymede. It remains the nearest thing to a bill of rights that Britain has ever had. The Magna Carta has also formed the basis of the constitutions of many other countries, including the USA. The King and his followers were encamped on the north shore at Wraysbury while the Barons and their great forces occupied the meadows of Runnymede, just across the river. Green in his "Short history of the English People" states:- "An island in the Thames between Staines and Windsor had been chosen as the place of conference; the King encamped on one bank, while the Barons covered the marshy flat, still known by the name of Runnymede, on the other. Their delegates met in the island between them, but the negotiations were a mere cloak to cover Johnï¿½s purpose of unconditional submission. The Great Charter was discussed, agreed to, and signed in a single day". There is no doubt Runingmed or Ronimed was the meadow which served as an encampment for the nobles and their retinues at the time of the signing of Magna Carta.

There is, however, no record of the exact spot where the actual signing took place. The Magna Carta itself gives no clue other than "in the meadow that is called Runnymede between Windsor and Staines" The consensus of historical opinion inclines to the view that Magna Carta, or the Great Charter, was signed on an island in the river and some say that this island is Magna Carta Island which is in the Parish of Wraysbury, rather than the actual meadow of Runnymede. It is situated at TQ 000 730. There is a stone slab called the Charter Stone, on which the signing or sealing of the Magna Carta is thought to have been executed. This stone was always preserved in the old Anker-wycke House until 1834 when Geroge Simon Harcourt re-built the fishermanï¿½s cottage on Magna Carta Island, fitted it with a series of coats of arms of the various barons present at the sealing of the Magna Carta and installed the stone there.

The stone , which is octagonal and about 3 feet in diameter is framed in oak and inscribed "BE IT REMEMBERED, THAT ON THIS ISLAND, 25 JUNE 1215, JOHN KING OF ENGLAND SIGNED MAGNA CHARTA; AND IN THE YEAR 1834, THIS BUILDING WAS ERECTED, IN COMMEMORATION OF THAT GREAT AND IMPORTANT EVENT, BY GEORGE SIMON HARCOURT, ESQ LORD OF THIS MANOR, AND THEN HIGH SHERIFF OF THIS COUNTY." However, through evidence gathered over the last few years Allen Meredith has proved to the satisfaction of many historians that the great yew tree in the grounds of the ruined Benedictine convent on the small island of Ankerwyke itself was probably the site of the oath-swearing to the Magna Carta. The convent was founded in about 1160, right next to the yew tree which must have already been there for about 1,700 years and which is still standing. The manor of Ankerwycke belonged to Richard de Montfichet, who was one of the 25 barons present at the signing of the Charter.

Ankerwycke Yew Historians agree that Runnymede was a special meeting place long before Magna Carta "Runnymede, said to be called the meadow of the Runes, or magical charms, the field of mystery, and the field of council" (Gordon Gyll, History of Wraysbury, 1861). In Saxon times it was known as Rune-mede, implying a place of council where, originally, the runes would have been consulted and runes at that time had deep associations with yew trees. "In earlier days, when the Saxon Kings had a place at Old Windsor, Runnymede had been celebrated as a place where the people assembled to discuss public questions of great moment, and where now cattle graze and wild flowers spring, grew a gigantic oak, under the shade of which Alfred or Athelstane, perhaps had occupied a throne of stone, and sat in royal state, when rallying their subjects to their standard to resist the inroads of Danes.

It was around this oak, which the English regarded with a superstitious veneration, the origin of which might have been traced back to the time when Druids performed their mysterious rites, and sacrificed and feasted under the shelter of its spreading branches, that the King and the barons met" . The published work of J.G. Edgar has been described as English historical fiction, but it is known that Edgar followed very closely the chronicles of Roger of Wendover and his editor and continuator, Matthew Paris, who was the greatest of the thirteenth-century chroniclers. He also drew upon other sources of that period. The oak which is referred to may be in fact the Ankerwyke yew. Writers around the thirteenth century may have used the word oak or evergreen oak confusing it with the yew tree as the yew fruits do bear some similarity to small acorns. For instance earlier botanists describes a Taxus glandifera bacciferaque, a yew bearing acorns. Gerard was one such person who mentioned this.

The yew tree would have had spreading branches and is also connected with the Druids, and certainly could have been a large tree during the Saxon period of Alfred or Athelstane just over 1,000 years ago. The first positive measurement of the tree that we know of was in 1806, when Dr. Samuel Lyons gave a girth of over 30 feet. In 1989 it was measured at over 29 feet, and it is not much different now to John Loweï¿½s description in 1897: ï¿½The base was a good deal broken away, and hollow up to five feet. The trunk above this point, which at one time was hollow, is now filled with a mass of large trunk-like roots, to a degree more remarkable than any I have seenï¿½.ï¿½ It is likely that there has been a great deal of internal growth, and probably little change in the girth measurement over the last two or three centuries.

In 1850 it was thought to be 1000 years old but recent research on dating yews has shown that this yew is more likely to be 2,500 years old. The convent must, then, have been built when the yew was already of a venerable age. It is possible, as seems to have been the case with so many other Christian buildings, that Ankerwyke was chosen for the site of a religious house precisely because it was already a sacred site, thanks to the yew which was probably the sacred central focus of ancient tribes of the area. The word ï¿½Ankerwykeï¿½ suggests an early hermitage (ï¿½ankerageï¿½, a place of retreat). Perhaps in the days before the arrival of the Saxons a hermit or holy man would have used the tree (quite likely hollow even then) as his shelter and his cell. Such practice is known of in other places, and a Saxon ï¿½ Norman manuscript called the Ancren Riwle, dated around the thirteenth century, gives evidence of a hermitage tree.

Ankerwyke would thus have been the ideal place for the signing of the Magna Carta. Both the barons and King John would have wanted to meet in territory which afforded them protection, as each side distrusted the other. Ankerwyke would have provided some protection from a surprise attack, being surrounded by water. It may well have been regarded as neutral ground, For neither side would have wanted the reputation of having desecrated a convent by acts of violence. More importantly, the tradition of the axis mundi may well have lingered, and John could have derived authority from the tree as chieftains and kings had done in the past. To the nobles, too, the site may have appealed as the natural and traditional spot where weighty matters of state were adjudicated. Yet, if Ankerwyke is the most likely place in the area for the swearing of the great charter, how can the fact that it is clearly stated to have been signed at Runnymede be explained. At the time of the signing of the Magna Carta, Ankerwyke was probably part of a larger area known as Runnymede, comprising all the water meadows in the area.

The Thames has changed course several times since the thirteenth century; Runnymede and Ankerwyke are now on opposite sides of the Thames, but were then probably one united area. Dr. Andrew Brookes, a geomorphologist from the National Rivers Authority, supports this theory: "Ten thousand years ago, the Thames flowed around a series of islands. It had a braided pattern, and only in the last 400 years or so has its main channel been centralised, widened and deepened for the needs of navigation." Indeed, the old course of the Thames can be clearly seen at the base of Cooperï¿½s Hill, and local historians point out that Langham Ponds were once part of the old river course. The shifting of the course of the Thames may have been caused, at least in part, by the causeway built in about 1250 during the reign of Henry III, on the Egham side.

In the thirteenth-century the Benedictine monk Matthew Paris wrote: ï¿½propre villam de stanes, juxta flumen Thamasiac, in quadam insulaï¿½ ï¿½ indicating that the final agreement of the Magna Carta took place on a small island in the river Thames near Staines. It also became apparent that Sir Gilbert de Montfichet, one of the signatories of the Magna Carta, was a benefactor of the convent alongside the yew. A meeting close to Cooperï¿½s Hill would not have been practical, it would have been ideal for an ambush with longbows. Since the meadows around Runnymede were open, the only safe place in the area would have been the island of Ankerwyke, not only physically protected by the river but the very sanctuary that neither King John nor the barons would violate. King John is likely to have known of the yewï¿½s ancient significance; his chief aide, Gerald de Barri, had written a book called Topographica Hybernica which details the importance of sacred yews.

Further evidence that the Ankerwyke yew was the site of the signing of the Magna Carta has been put forward by some historians, and older references to it have been unearthed. For instance, J.J. Sheahen, writing in 1862 , says: "Here the confederate Barons met King John, and having forced him to yield to the demands of his subjects they, under the pretext of securing the person of the King from the fury of the multitude, conveyed him to a small island belonging to the nuns of Ankerwyke, where he signed the Magna Carta." In 1840 the historian S.C. Hall wrote: "It is probable, therefore, that Edward the Confessor occasionally held his witan or council there during residence at Old Windsor, and that the barons chose the site as well on account of its previous association with those very rights they met to assert as it was a convenient distance from Windsor, sufficiently near for the king, but far enough removed to prevent any treacherous surprises by his forces." Apart from the ancient yew, there is also a mysterious avenue of around thirty old yews.

Nothing is currently known about these, but it has been suggested that they might have been planted in 1215 to commemorate the agreement of Magna Carta. A Tree Preservation Order was granted in April 1990, and in early 1992 the dense undergrowth surrounding it was cleared. Other stories of the treeï¿½s history are also slowly emerging. There is a legend that a dove conveyed a bough of the Ankerwyke yew in its bill to Germany, where a convent was built to protect the relic. It was later allegedly transplanted to Spain. Chapter 9 - Runnymede and Magna Carta Runnymede and Magna Carta Lodges at Runnymede A short walk along the road and I pass between two Lodge Houses situated on either side of the carriageway. These lodges were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens to mark the entrance to Runnymede Meadows. The famous meadows are the site of one of the most significant autograph signings in history. It was here that King John is alleged to have signed Magna Carta, “The Great Charter” in 1215.

Exactly where or how this was done is still the subject of much speculation. When asked where Magna Carta was signed any cheeky schoolboy will reply “At the bottom” which is possibly more accurate than anybody else can place it. Most people take the story of the signing of Magna Carta a little bit too much on trust. It is when you start to think about it a little more deeply that all sorts of questions spring to mind. Why Runnymede in the first place? Why in the middle of a field halfway between Windsor and Staines? There was nothing here then, and there is nothing here now except memorials to Magna Carta. However the name “Runnymede” is thought to come from early Anglo-Saxon roots, “runinge” meaning to take council, and “moed” being a meadow. So was this a historic meeting point well before the reign of King John? There is a school of thought that says that King Alfred used to have regular council meetings here known as the “Witan” when he was resident at Old Windsor, just a short distance upriver. How did it all come about in the first place?

The common misconception is that it went something like this… A group of Barons had decided that they have had their fill of King John demanding this, that and the other from them and giving them nothing back in return. So they banded together and demanded that John meet them on neutral ground. When they were all gathered together one of the barons said “Right John, we will agree to pay some of these taxes if you stop locking us up without trial. We don’t want to pay to go fishing on the Thames neither. Stick your name here and we can all go home”. You are now thinking, hmmmm, it just might have been a little more complicated than that. Just think of a present-day world summit meeting with their thousands of negotiators and back-room support staff. They have computers and all sorts of whizz-kiddery and it takes months of preparation and days of talks to get anywhere. How did they do it all in 1215 in one afternoon when the height of technology was the quill pen? It will be no great surprise to learn that the school version of Magna Carta is a massive over-simplification. Firstly, King John did not sign Magna Carta at Runnymede.

He placed his seal at the bottom of a draft form of the document called “Articles of the Barons”, and as this was properly witnessed under Common Law it became legally binding. The document was not signed (or sealed) by any of the barons. The full Magna Carta, (translation Great Paper) was not sealed until a month later after the Chancery had redrafted it into the final document. Let’s take a more detailed look at the background. Magna Carta Island By the end of the 12th century the Norman system of government had enabled the King of England to become the most powerful man in Western Europe. Power has a nasty habit of going to ones head and King John was no exception. I have already discovered during the course of my journey that John was not one of our better rulers, and he soon started to get things very, very wrong. John was not the only choice for King when his older brother Richard died. There was also considerable support for Richard’s nephew, Arthur of Brittany. To secure the throne of England John needed the support of the King of France, Philip Augustus.

In order to help Philip decide to support his claim to the crown, John gave the King of France a large portion of the lands he held in Anjou. Big mistake. In every really big mess, there always has to be a woman involved somewhere. The woman in this case was Isabella of Angouleme who John had taken rather a shine to and decided to marry. Isabella’s jilted fiancée, Hugh IX of Lusignan, did not take this too well, and appealed to Philip to help him get his revenge on John. Philip immediately declared all the remainder of John’s French lands to be forfeit, invaded them with his army and gave them to Arthur of Brittany to rule over. John had to act to save face, and despatched his armies across to France to grab his lands back. His French barons were not exactly supportive, for Arthur of Brittany had suddenly died in mysterious circumstances. You can guess who (probably correctly) was getting all the blame. John’s allies (what was left of them) were defeated at the Battle of Bouvines and the lands were finally conceded to France.

The revenue from these lands had previously generated a significant part of the crown income, and put a severe hole in the budget. John decided to squeeze the Barons for more taxes to make up the shortfall, so tightening the pressures that would lead to the revolt. There was no constitutional crisis in the medieval days that the involvement of the Church could not make considerably worse. It’s about time we looked at their contribution to this hiatus. The appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury had always been a contentious issue, but took a new turn following the crowning of King John. Until 1200 the Archbishop had been selected by the monarchy in consultation with the monks of Canterbury. Now the monks wanted more say, and elected one of their number to be the new Archbishop. John responded by sending John de Gray, Bishop of Norwich to Rome as his appointed Archbishop. The Pope, Innocent III, decided that he would have neither of them and persuaded the monks to elect Stephen Langton instead. Upon hearing this John completely threw his teddy out of the pram and ordered all of the Canterbury monks into exile.

The Pope hit back, and ordered an interdict, whereby all acts of worship, mass, marriages and even the ringing of church bells were declared illegal in England from 1208. When John did not respond, Innocent upped the ante by excommunicating the King in 1209. After receiving no response from this action, the Pope started to encourage Philip of France to invade and conquer England. John eventually backed down, and agreed to have Bishop Langton as Archbishop and allowed the monks to return. To further placate the Pope, he also gave England and Ireland to become Papal Territories and rent them back. The Barons were not happy about this at all, seeing it as selling out to the Papal powers. So now we have land, power, women and religion all in the melting pot. All we need to do now is add a few money problems and the whole lot will go bang. Which is exactly what happened? The state income was devastated and tax revenues were required to finance the wars necessary to win back the lost lands. John used all the trickery and double-talk he could to raise the levels of taxation. He re-interpreted Forest Law, which applied to hunting rights in the Royal Forests.

He increased by several fold the taxes in scutage, which was the payment of taxes instead of providing military service, and worst of all he introduced a form of income tax, that was as popular then as its descendant is today. The Barons had suffered enough, and together they marched on London. Such was the unpopularity of John that the city threw its gates open in welcome to them. The combined forces of the Barons were enough for John to meet them at Runnymede and put his seal to “The Articles of the Barons” on June 15th 1215. Magna Carta. On June 19th the Barons responded by re-affirming their fealty to King John. The Chancery then took the various clauses and made them into Magna Carta. Several copies were made and distributed to the Barons, Royal Sherrifs and Bishops. The major cause of concern to John was clause number 61. This clause was the longest part of the document, and the part that everyone knows something about. It established a committee of 25 barons who could meet at any time and over-rule the King, even to the extent of confiscating his property.

All the way through the process John had been unable to take any situation without making it a whole lot worse, and as soon as the barons had left London he was at it again. He renounced the clause, and England was plunged into yet another civil war, the First Barons’ War. John died in 1216 and his son Henry III succeeded to the throne. This is where William Marshall, who we discovered at Caversham a few days ago, comes into play. He, as we have learned, was Henry’s Regent, and he set about revising Magna Carta to keep the peace. On November 12th 1216 the revised Magna Carta, without clause 61 was issued, followed by a further revisions in 1217 and 1225, by which time it had been reduced to 37 clauses. The version of Magna Carta so often quoted in English Law is the final version, which was issued by Edward I on October 12th 1297, just over eighty years after the original version.

Every King for the next two hundred years included the charter of 1297 in their charters until Henry V put an end to the practice. At the present day only three of the clauses of 1297 remain in their original form, clauses 1, 19 and 28. Clause 1 guarantees the freedom of the Church of England, Clause 9 covers the ancient liberties of the City of London and Clause 29 guarantees a right to due process by the law. I. FIRST, We have granted to God, and by this our present Charter have confirmed, for Us and our Heirs for ever, that the Church of England shall be free, and shall have all her whole Rights and Liberties inviolable. We have granted also, and given to all the Freemen of our Realm, for Us and our Heirs for ever, these Liberties under-written, to have and to hold to them and their Heirs, of Us and our Heirs for ever. IX. THE City of London shall have all the old Liberties and Customs which it hath been used to have.

Moreover We will and grant, that all other Cities, Boroughs, Towns, and the Barons of the Five Ports, and all other Ports, shall have all their Liberties and free Customs. XXIX. NO Freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised of his Freehold, or Liberties, or free Customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will We not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the Land. We will sell to no man; we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right. Where on these meadows it was signed is anybody’s guess. There is a school of thought that says it was not at Runnymede at all, but on Magna Carta Island which is reached from the opposite bank. It would certainly have been a more strategic place for meeting a slippery rascal like King John. Being an island would have made it difficult for John to spring any nasty tricks and surprises such his troops suddenly appearing midway through the proceedings before the barons had a chance to defend themselves.

During the time of Magna Carta the island was used by the nunnery of Ankerwyke and it could be that this was the place where John and the Barons met because both sides felt relatively safe on the confined island. So that was Magna Carta, and a fine memorial exists in the National Trust grounds to commemorate it. The Runnymede Memorials are a short walk from the car park. It is with some surprise that I discover that the Magna Carta Memorial is not anywhere near as old as I had assumed it would be. Magna Carta Memorial There are three memorials overlooking the Thames at Runnymede. The oldest is towards the top of the hill. It is administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is dedicated to the memory of the men and women of the Allied Air Forces who died during the Second World War. This fine memorial was designed by Sir Edward Maufe and unveiled by the Queen on 17th October 1953. Over the entrance there is a dedication; “In this cloister are recorded the names of 20,456 airmen who have no known grave.

They died for freedom in raid and sortie over the British Isles and the land and seas of northern and western Europe.” The Magna Carta Memorial was built by the American Bar Association from donations from over 9,000 American lawyers. This memorial is in the shape of a domed classical temple containing a pillar which carries the inscription; “To commemorate Magna Carta, symbol of Freedom Under Law”. Sir Edward Maufe also designed this memorial. It was unveiled on 18th July 1957, a mere 742 years after the event it commemorates. There are visitor information plaques displaying the coats of arms of the twenty-five Barons and Bishop Langton accompanied by a brief description of Magna Carta for the benefit of visitors. The third memorial stands on one acre of ground that is now the property of the United States of America. This memorial was designed by G.A.Jellicoe and unveiled by the Queen on 14th May 1965. It is dedicated to the memory of John F Kennedy who was assassinated on 22nd November 1963.

The inscription reads “This acre of ground was given to the United States of America by the people of Britain in memory of John F Kennedy, born 19th May 1917: President of the United States 1961-63: died by an assassin’s hand 22nd November 1963. “Let every National know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and success of liberty”: from the inaugural address of President Kennedy, January 1961.” Runnymede | National Trust National Trust Runnymede's renowned art installation, The Jurors by Hew Locke, dazzles in low winter sun ©National Trust/Laura Summerbell Spend some quality time with the family Max McClure After JFK was assasinated in 1963, this memorial was installed at Runnymede in his honour National Trust Images / John Millar Riverside site of the sealing of Magna Carta 10:00-16:00 Explore the fascinating history of the Runnymede meadows and the popular pastimes pursued here across the ages.

Sun 12 Feb 2017 11:00-12:30 Come and discover the historic parkland of Ankerwycke at a special time of year, when carpets of snowdrops romantically cluster around the ancient Ankerwycke Yew and Priory ruins. Sun 30 Apr 2017 11:00-12:30 Come and enjoy one of the most inspiring sights at Runnymede in spring: the swathe of bluebells highlighted by dappled sunlight as it flickers through the native woodland trees. Runnymede may be the site of Magna Carta, but there are also a number of other memorials to the struggle for liberty to look out for.

Places nearby A garden for all seasons Join General New National Trust tea-room open daily 9am-5pm, serving homemade food, cakes, lunches, teas and freshly ground coffee Free parking for National Trust members, pay and display for non members Pay and display coach parking available Toilets available next to Memorial Car Park Cycling permitted on Thames Path Cycle racks beside tea-room Dogs welcome (please keep them on leads when livestock are grazing) Waymarked walking routes, with map available from car park noticeboards, toilets or tea-room Some paths become muddy during wet weather Family Baby-changing facilities in ladies and gents toilets by Memorial Car Park Pushchairs welcome Children's tracker packs available to borrow from tea-room High chairs, bottle warming facilities and menu for children in the tea-room Children's books available to read in the tea-room Stunning picnic spots Free designated parking spaces for blue badge holders Adapted toilets with level access Two accessible-for-all angling platforms Level access to the Runnymede Gallery (using side entrance) Access to Magna Carta Tea-room via steps only (owing to historic nature of building) Benches available along riverside and in meadows Braille guide available from the tea-room Runnymede Close Riverside site of the sealing of Magna Carta Seen by many as

 the birthplace of modern democracy, this picturesque open landscape beside the Thames was witness to King John's historic sealing of the Magna Carta 801 years ago on 15 June 1215.

Today Runnymede is an ideal place to relax outdoors, or to pause and reflect on the history of the struggle for freedom. As well as a monument to the democratic legacy of the Magna Carta, you'll find further memorials to John F. Kennedy and the Commonwealth Air Forces, and a unique installation by artist Hew Locke. Within easy reach of the M25, this peaceful river scenery is home to rolling hills, open meadows and a variety of wildlife. Enjoy a picnic, take in the views, ride your bike along the riverbank or bring your dog on one of our waymarked countryside walks. On the other side of the Thames you'll find Ankerwycke , a hidden gem with secrets to discover among the woods and fields. Look out for the ruins of a Benedictine priory and the National Trust's oldest tree, a 2,500-year-old Yew where Henry VIII was rumoured to have courted Anne Boleyn. We're open all year round, so come and explore a beautiful and important slice of history.

Telephone Windsor Road, near Old Windsor, Surrey, SL4 2JL (SatNav: TW20 0AE) By cycle We're on the Thames Path, National Trail for 1¼ miles. Cycle racks are available in the Magna Carta car park, beside the tea-room. We're on the Thames Path, National Trail for 1¼ miles. By train Our entrance is approximately 2 miles (3.2km) from Egham train station, and can be reached using the First 8 bus route . To plan a train journey please use the National Rail journey planner . Traveling from Heathrow: You can take the Underground from Terminal 1-3 to Hatton Cross, connect with the 490 bus to Feltham, then take the National Rail service to Egham. By road From Egham: Take the exit onto Windsor Road/A308 at Runnymede roundabout. Drive along for about 1½ miles (2.4km). From Heathrow: Turn off at junction 13 of the M25 and take the exit to Egham/Windsor. At the large roundabout, take the third exit onto the A308.

Drive along the river for about 1½ miles (2.4km) to the memorials car park. From Windsor: Head north and turn left onto Alma Road. At the roundabout, take the first exit onto the A308. Continue along the A308 (Osborne Road, Albert Road, Straight Road, Windsor Road) until you reach the memorials car park. Parking: Pay-and-display car parks either side of the A308 (free for National Trust members). The Memorials car park (tea-room side) is open all year, and the riverside car park is open seasonally, weather dependent. SatNav: Use postcode TW20 0AE or type in "National Trust Runnymede". By bus The First 8 bus goes from Windsor Town Centre, Theatre Royal to Runnymede, opposite Beaumont on Priest Hill. For the return journey the closest stop is adjacent Beaumont on Priest Hill, from which the number 8 drops passengers at Windsor Town Centre, WH Smith on Thames Street. Runnymede Admission free What is Gift Aid? Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.

Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets: Gift Aid Admission or Standard admission If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you the Gift Aid Admission prices. But it's entirely up to you which ticket you choose. If you want the Standard Admission instead, just let us know when you come to pay. Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid* — an extra 25 per cent — potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds. An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below: Payment of the additional percentage donation is entirely voluntary, so if you prefer to pay the standard admission please advise our reception staff at the till point.

Question: On which island in the Thames was Magna Carta signed in 1215?
Answer: Runnymede