Discover rarely seen Royal Charters ahead of the historic Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort at Medway Archives Centre.
The centre in Bryant Road, Strood, will be displaying Royal Charters and letters from monarchs including King Henry III, King Henry IV and Queen Elizabeth I, many of which still have their Royal Seals attached, on Tuesday, 2 and Thursday, 4 May between 2pm and 4pm.
The charters on display will be:
- King Henry III charter dated 6 November 1227 which grants municipal privileges and a bailiff to the citizens of Rochester.
- King Henry VI charter dated 14 July 1438 which recites the charters of Henry III and restored Rochester City privileges. This charter was introduced following disagreements between the King’s bailiffs and the good men of the City of Rochester.
- Letters from Queen Elizabeth I, patent dated 15 November 1559.
- The Chatham Royal Charter of Incorporation dated 22 November 1890.
Visitors of all ages can also take part in the centre’s Jewel in the Crown drop-in craft sessions which are being held between 9.30am and 4.30pm on weekdays (except Wednesdays when the centre is closed) and between 10am and 12pm on Saturdays, until the Coronation. Get inspiration from pictures of monarchs who have visited Medway including Queen Victoria visiting Fort Pitt Hospital in 1855 and colour in a jewel for Medway’s community art Coronation crown.
Celebrate this momentous occasion at Medway Archives
Paul Cowell, Head of Culture and Libraries at Medway Council, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort at our fantastic Medway Archives Centre in Strood. The Coronation will be a momentous occasion and I would encourage residents to visit the archives centre and discover more about Medway’s royal connections. Our Jewel in the Crown craft sessions are suitable for residents of all ages, including children – which supports our aspiration to become even more child-friendly.”
Medway Archives Centre is home to thousands of items including journals, photographs, newspaper cuttings and books which tell Medway’s history.