June 15th 2015 sees the 800th anniversary of the document known to history as Magna Carta. It was the result of a revolt by many of the most powerful barons against what they saw as the unjust rule of King John. Magna Carta was effectively a peace treaty in which the king agreed to meet the baron’s demands. With the king at Windsor and the barons camped at Staines, the meadow by the Thames at Runnymede was chosen as a convenient neutral place for the agreement to be finalised.
It is clear that our area played a major part in the events of 1215. We will probably never know exactly where in Staines the barons stayed, but it seems unlikely that the town would have had enough quality accommodation such as inns for all of them, so perhaps they camped in a large open area such as Staines Moor or Shortwood Common. Whilst staying there, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton, who was the main mediator between the barons and the king, created two new bishops, of St. David’s and Bangor (both in Wales) at St. Mary’s Church in Staines.
The building itself was not the present one, having been rebuilt more than once, but occupied the same site. Afterwards, to celebrate their success in obtaining John’s agreement to Magna Carta, the barons held a tournament at Staines at which the main prize was a bear!
To celebrate the anniversary there will be several events locally. On Saturday 13th June, there will be a River Pageant from Sunbury to Staines, where at the Lammas recreation ground that afternoon there will be a medieval fair entitled ‘The Barons Gather’. On Sunday 14th June the Magna Carta 800 River Relay will arrive at Runnymede Pleasure Ground from Maidenhead. I will be taking part as a ‘Charter Bearer’, carrying a hand-crafted copy of Magna Carta on the row barge ‘Jubilant’.
Look out for me and give me a wave! The ‘Gloriana’, which took a prominent part in the Jubilee River Pageant in 2012, will also be present. At the Pleasure Ground itself there will be a celebration of 800 years of boating, a free event but ticketed –look out for details. On Monday 15th June the Queen will be coming to a celebration at Runnymede, but please note that this event is by invitation only.
Spelthorne Museum’s new temporary exhibition is about Magna Carta and its local links. Admission is free and the museum is entered via Staines Library, during normal library opening hours from Monday to Saturday.