In December 2015 Northumberland Archives was awarded a grant of £14850 by The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust to undertake conservation work on an important series of deeds in our care. The collection, known as the Swinburne Charters, form part of the collection of papers of the Browne-Swinburne family, the main collection of which was deposited with our service in 1962. The Charters are a collection of 758 early deeds, charters and papers of the Swinburne family of Capheaton covering the period, 1172-1714.
Up until the time of Reformation the Swinburne family played an important part in affairs in Northumberland, the wider border area and in North Wales. Influence waned after the Reformation when the family retained their Roman Catholic faith. Documents included in the collection provide an insight into some of the difficulties faced by a prominent Roman Catholic family arising from its recusancy in the 17th century, particularly during the Civil War as well as into medieval ecclesiastical matters. Much of the collection is significant in charting the history of the English/Scottish border area up to and beyond the Union of the Crowns in 1603. The Swinburne family were significant players in the economic and political life of the area and the governance of the Border Marches – the tempestuous buffer zone area created in 1249 in an attempt to control the English/Scottish border. As an example, the collection includes papers relating to a meeting between the officers of the English And Scottish Marches at Kershope Bridge at the end of the 14th century. Items of particular interest include twelve 13th century charters of the Kings and Queens of Scotland, one of which appears to be a 13th century forgery. The collection is therefore significant to the history of both England and Scotland.
The collection also includes material relating to the history of Wales – documents relating to the rebellion of Owen Glendower – Sir William Swinburne was a follower of the Duke of Northumberland – 1399-1402. These include an order to proclaim the general pardon to the rebels in 1400 by King Henry V. Also of interest is content relating to overseas conflicts. This includes agreements of 1374 as to the wages and division of booty between a lesser captain and his men at arms in the war in France and Brittany.
The charters are currently mounted into seven volumes with Victorian bindings. The bindings are inappropriate. The paper onto which items are mounted is acidic and some of the documents have been damaged as a result of folding and creasing. The volumes will be disbound, surface cleaned and residues removed. Parchment documents will be dry pressed, humidified where necessary, paper and parchment repair will be undertaken and seals cleaned and repaired where necessary. Documents will be rehoused in custom made folders and boxes and seal bags as appropriate. Following repair each item will be digitized and digital images of each item will be appended to our online catalogue. As our project progresses we will provide updates on progress.
The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust was established in 1990 by the British Library and the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. It is the only UK grant-giver that focuses solely on the care and conservation of manuscripts in the UK. We are very grateful for the support of the Trust for our project.
The image below is of the earliest document in the collection – Grant of William, King of Scotland, to Reginald Prath of Tindale [Tynedale] his squire of the third part of the township of Haluton [Haughton] with all appurtenances in the woods, fields, meadows, pastures, moors, marshes, streams, ponds, mills, fisheries, vineries, and all other liberties and easements. It is dated 1172 but is believed to be a 13th century copy. The grant bears a fragment of the Great Seal of the King William.
