Magna Carta Durham 3.28

2015 marks the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta. The only surviving 1216 copy of the great charter will be on display at Durham University’s Palace Green Library in this commemorative exhibition.

Magna Carta and the Changing Face of Revolt will take an original 1216 issue of the charter, on loan from Durham Cathedral, as a starting point for exploring the history of rebellion and revolt.

The Magna Carta is seen as the first key articulation of law, rights and universal values and its writing led to the establishment of government. But, its radical potential deserves attention.

The charter was sealed in 1215 by King John under pressure from a group of rebellious barons, making the king subject to the law for the first time. Magna Carta and the Changing Face of Revolt shifts the focus away from the rulers to the ruled, revealing the stories of those present at its making.

The exhibition explores the Magna Carta as part of a long history of resistance to authority, stretching from the Wars of the Roses to the Great Reform Act and from the Suffragettes to the Occupy Movement. History is made not just by those in authority, but by those who have resisted it.

The Magna Carta will be displayed alongside objects from Durham University’s collections and loans from other regional and national collections. Durham University and Durham Cathedral will run a fascinating programme of Magna Carta activities alongside the exhibition, from public lectures and family activities, to hands-on workshops and re-enactment events.

Tickets for Magna Carta and the Changing Face of Revolt will go on sale in March 2015. For more information, please contact pg.library@durham.ac.uk.