Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service is
supporting a major exhibition coinciding with the 800th anniversary
of the battle of Lincoln. A rare seal of William Marshal, regent of England and
hero of the battle, has been lent for display.
The battle is often overlooked, but is probably one of the
major battles on English soil. Prince Louis, son of the King of France, had been
invited over by the rebel Barons who wanted King John replaced, and was
declared King of England in London. After John's death many rebels switched
sides and supported his son, 9 year old King Henry III. William Marshal, who
had served the previous kings, was appointed Regent as he was considered one of
the most important men in the land. Although Louis held the city he did not
hold Lincoln Castle. Whilst they tried to capture the castle Marshal's army stormed
the city and attacked the French army, which was routed. By September Louis had
given up his claim to the English throne.
William Marshal is a fascinating character. In this region he
owned Goodrich Castle in Herefordshire, and it was he who arranged King John's
funeral in Worcester Cathedral. He rose up from being a son of a minor noble to
serving four Kings – Henry II, Richard I, John and Henry III, being Regent to
the latter. He is often overlooked, although in Russell Crowe's Robin Hood film
he does appear as a minor character, played by William Hurt.
The document the seal is attached to is a charter from
William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, to Geoffrey son of Peter, Earl of Essex. It
grants a third part of a Market at Aylesbury to him. At the bottom is William's
seal with a depiction of him on horseback, a very rare example. This seal is
the reason Lincoln have requested the document.
Why is a document about a Buckinghamshire market in
Worcestershire?
Archive collections bring together the documents held by an
organisation, family or estate, usually about the administrative history. Many of
these cover more than one county. The Pakington family were a prominent family
in Worcestershire, but they also owned land elsewhere in the country including
Aylesbury, and through this it came into their possession. So this collection,
like many others, contains documents about places further afield. The archive
still belongs to the family, and the current Lord Hampton kindly gave
permission for the document to be used.
