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In 1946, just after World War II, Harvard Law School purchased what appeared to be a cheap, unremarkable copy of the Magna Carta. The document, dated 1327, sat untouched in a storage trunk for decades. Nearly 80 years later, experts have confirmed it’s an original— a rare 1300 issue of one of the most important legal documents in Western history.
A medieval jewel rediscovered. For eight decades, one of the few surviving original copies of the 1300 Magna Carta remained mislabeled and overlooked in the Harvard archives. Acquired for just $27.50 from a London bookseller, the parchment went unnoticed until December 2023, when David Carpenter, a medieval history professor at King’s College London, stumbled across it while browsing Harvard’s digital library.
Noticing the characteristic calligraphy, use of Latin and the distinctive capital “E” for Edwardus, Carpenter suspected the document was far more than an ordinary copy. He alerted Nicholas Vincent, a professor at the University of East Anglia and a leading Magna Carta scholar, who confirmed the document’s authenticity. It is now one of 24 known original 1300 issues produced under Edward I—and among the best preserved.
A relic of law, 725 years old. The parchment was created during the 28th year of Edward I’s reign and represents one of the last official reissues of the Magna Carta. First signed in 1215 under duress from rebellious English barons, the Magna Carta asserted a revolutionary principle: The king isn’t above the law.
That legacy endured. Successive English monarchs reissued the text over the years, embedding it into legal and political traditions that influenced constitutions around the world—including the U.S. Constitution. Using spectral and ultraviolet imaging, researchers verified the Harvard document’s age and content by comparing it with authenticated copies. Unlike the damaged 2014 find in Sandwich, England— incomplete and barely legible—the Harvard charter remains intact, clear and fully legible.
A journey across centuries. Harvard researchers have pieced together a compelling, if not fully proven, genealogy for the document. Evidence suggests it may have been sent in 1300 to the northern English borough of Appleby-in-Westmorland. The town’s local lord, William Lowther, likely passed it to famed abolitionist Thomas Clarkson, author of The History of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade.
Using spectral and ultraviolet imaging, researchers verified the Harvard document’s age and content.
The document was later inherited by aviator and war hero Forster Maynard, who auctioned his family’s archive through Sotheby’s in 1945. Harvard bought it the next year, unaware of its true significance.
A symbol in tough times. The timing of the rediscovery carries particular weight. Harvard is currently embroiled in political controversy, after the Trump administration suspended $450 million in federal funding amid disputes over Gaza-related protests and academic independence.
For Carpenter, the Magna Carta’s reemergence during such a moment is “providential.” The charter, he said, is a reminder that “the ruler can’t just say, ‘Off with your head,’ He can’t just take your land, but must follow the laws, too.”
More than a museum piece. Beyond its estimated value— reportedly more than $20 million—the rediscovery holds deep symbolic and educational meaning. Amanda Watson, associate dean of the Harvard Law Library, said the document presents a powerful opportunity to engage students with the foundational ideas of democracy, liberty and limited government.
At a time when institutions of higher learning are being tested, the resurfacing of one of the world’s oldest legal charters offers more than historical insight. It’s a living reminder— penned more than 700 years ago—that even the most powerful are bound by the rule of law.
Images | Harvard Law School
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