Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 5 December 1209 (Creation)
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
1 f. ; parchment ; 210 (+41) x 230 mm.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Archival history
The Library acquired the manuscript at auction from the Schøyen Collection of London and Oslo, which had purchased it at Sotheby's on 21 June 1994. The charter had previously been owned by Richard Henry Wood (1820-1908), FSA, of Penrhos House, Rugby. Its earlier provenance is unclear, but its authenticity is assured by internal diplomatic evidence, notably the verified hand of a known contemporary Chancery scribe.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Purchased by NLW at Bloomsbury Auctions, 7 December 2021.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Charter of king John, 5 December 11 John [1209], confirming the grant of an estate called 'Dunwallesland' ['Dyfnwal's land'] near Abergavenny, with all its woods, fields, paths, waters, mills, fishponds and so on, to Philip, son of Wastellion, to be held of the king and his heirs on the same terms as Philip’s father, Wastellion, had held it of William de Braose, including the service of one knight at Abergavenny castle. Issued on the king’s behalf by Robert de Vieuxpont at St Briavels, [Gloucestershire], and attested by twelve witnesses, notably William de Aubigny, earl of Arundel ('Will[el]mo Comite Arundell'), Robert de Thornham ('Rob[er]to de Turneha[m]'), Hugh de Neville ('Hugon[e] de Neuill') and Cadwallon ab Ifor ('Cadewallan filio Iuor' [of Senghennydd]).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright laws apply.
Language of material
- Latin
Script of material
Language and script notes
Latin.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Single folio document on 15 long lines in a fine and professional English Romanesque secretarial hand, with long and tall ascenders that lean to the left, one penwork decorated capital 'Q'. There are remnants of the seal-tag (John's great seal being wanting), some folds and small stains, and two small natural flaws in the vellum, but otherwise the document is in excellent condition.
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
A photograph of this charter was deposited in the National Library of Wales after the Sotheby's auction in 1994, and it is now NLW Facs 743 (https://archives.library.wales/index.php/charter-of-dunwallesland).
Related units of description
Publication note
D. J. Moore, 'Abergavenny and Dunwallesland: a 1209 charter of king John' in The Monmouthshire Antiquary: Proceedings of the Monmouthshire Antiquarian Association XXXVII (2022), 5-13; an offprint of this article is kept with the deed.
Notes area
Note
Preferred citation: NLW Deed 1962.
Formerly Schøyen Collection of London and Oslo MS 1857.
Note
The Schøyen call number ‘MS 1857’ is in pencil at the bottom right on the fold, and repeated on the dorse, and there are two other endorsements: ‘A tenure to the Castell of Aburgaueny xi Joh[annis]’ in a 17th-century hand; and ‘Dec. 5. 1210 – 11o Joh[ann]is’ [sic] in a 19th-century hand.
Note
No enrolment of this charter survives.
Note
Title based on contents.
Alternative identifier(s)
Alma system control number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- John, King of England, 1167-1216 (Subject)
- Dunwallesland (Wales : lordship) (Subject)
- De Braose, William, Lord of Bramber, 1144 or 1153-1211 (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Description follows NLW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.; RDA NACO; and LCSH
Status
Final
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
August 2022
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Bloomsbury Auctions sale catalogue, 7 December 2021 (Lot 39); D. J. Moore, 'Abergavenny and Dunwallesland: a 1209 charter of king John' in The Monmouthshire Antiquary: Proceedings of the Monmouthshire Antiquarian Association XXXVII (2022); information within the charter.
Archivist's note
Compiled by David Moore.