The Parish
Council has now adopted the image of the 15th century Seal of Henley-in-
Arden as its new crest. The search for the new crest began in June 2008 when it
was decided to find an image that was unique, had a clear historical connection
to our town and could be used by the Council as its pictorial identity.
The trail
began with the book ‘Henley-in-Arden an Ancient Market Town' by William Cooper.
On page 68 there was a reference to the catalogue of seals in the British
Museum which contained a description of a 15th century seal
belonging to Henley-in-Arden:
' The Trinity in a niche with trefoiled canopy, pinnacled and
crocketed: on each side in a smaller niche a saint; left St. John Baptist with
Agnus Dei; right St. John the Evangelist with book and eagle on the right hand,
and in the left hand a palm branch. In the field on each side, a branch of
foliage, SIGILLUM BURGEN [SIUM?] DE HENLEYE'.
For me,
this was an exciting and promising beginning. However, I had no idea where this
information might lead. My best expectation was to find a sketch that I could
use. Next stop was to be the British Museum.
British
Museum
My contact
with the British Museum was a mixture of disappointment and complete surprise.
The Curator of Medieval Collections checked the records but found no examples
corresponding to the description that I gave him. However, the Curator also
said that the likelihood was that the ‘Seal' was with the British Library.
Apparently the collection of seals was catalogued as being in the British
Museum before the two institutions become separate in the 1970s. The key word
to me was the word ‘Seal'. He was talking about an actual Seal not an entry in
a catalogue or a sketch. Up to that moment I had no idea that such a Seal actually
existed. Now there was real excitement in the air and a new goal - to find that
Seal. Next stop was the British Library at St. Pancras, London.
The
British Library
The British
Library is a wonderful and very large institution. The first problem to solve was
where to begin looking for the catalogue of seals? I searched their website and
spoke to their reception and their best advice was to start at the Rare-Books
Reference Service. I was disappointed when I discovered that they did not have
such a catalogue. However, I was told that the British Museum's collection of
seals was now held by the Department of Manuscripts. My hopes rose again, perhaps I was getting close to my goal.
The Curator
of Medieval Manuscripts was very helpful. He confirmed that the Seal of
Henley-in-Arden was indeed held by the British Library and gave me the full reference
to use and he went on to say ‘your description is accurate, and is taken
ultimately from W. De G. Birch, Catalogue of Seals (1892) that was originally
held in the British Museum, Department of Manuscripts, volume II number 4991'.
Seeing
the Seal of Henley-in-Arden for the first time
On 31 July
2008 I entered the Manuscripts Reading room after I had completed a Form on a
computer, had my photograph taken, proved my identity and obtained a Reader
Pass. I was also reminded very clearly of the strict reproduction rights of the
Library and that taking photographs or even having a biro or a pen on you is
forbidden. I had to complete yet another Form in the Reading Room giving the
exact Library Reference of what I wanted to see. After about 15 minutes a man approached
me with what appeared to be a brown leather tray with a small white box in the
middle. He placed the tray on my desk. I was staring at the box for a few
seconds then I opened it.
There it
was, the 15th Century Seal of Henley-in-Arden in front of me. I did
not know what to expect and my first reaction was neutral. I suppose I was
hoping to see something grand like a crest as used in the shield of a knight in
King Arthur's Court. It was not like that. I was looking at a medieval Seal,
very Henley-in-Arden, resembling something similar to what was on top of the
Market Cross. The Seal was green in colour and the image was as described by W.
De G. Birch and later by William Cooper. I do not know who was the last person
to have seen the seal, it felt that the box had not been opened for a very long
time. I felt privileged looking at it.
I was
looking at the history of our Town. It was an artefact contemporary to the
Market Cross, St John the Baptist Church,
the Charter granted by
Henry VI on 16 May1449
to the then lord, Sir Ralph Boteler and the
original Gildhall (Guildhall).
I asked for
a magnifying glass and for a fibre optic light that does not emit heat. These
were given to me promptly. I did
not take the Seal out of the box and I did not touch it. Simply I was looking
at it for more than an hour, examining every detail and trying to memorise it. Strangely,
the more I looked at it the more I became emotionally attached to it.
The Seal is
almost 600 years old. Like the majority of medieval seals its condition is not
perfect. Later the Curator at the British Library suggested that we create an
artistic impression of the Seal and/or a reconstruction. I requested a digital
image to be made at my cost.
Despite the
fact that the goal to find the Seal had been achieved there was still a great
deal to do. I needed to receive the digital image of the Seal and show it to
the Parish Councillors, Ray and Ann Holding for the Heritage Centre and to
Jonathan Dovey our local historian. Then the Parish Councillors had to approve
the adoption of the image of the Seal as its crest. The negotiations with the
British Library could then start for not only obtaining the reproduction rights
for the Parish Council but also to give us permission to exhibit the image of
the Seal permanently at our Heritage Centre. All these objectives were achieved by late 2008. The British
Library generously waived all costs which were substantial. I personally met all
other research expenses. I sought the advice of members of the Heraldry Society
and of a local artist and it is now possible to produce a good impression of
the image of the Seal.
The
history of the Seal
According
to William Cooper the device appears to have been originally the Seal of the Gild.
The date for this possibly was early 15th century. Later, the original
Seal was either modified or another one made which was used as the Town Seal, probably
mid 15th century. Around this Seal the words SIGILLUM
BURGENSIUM DE HENLEYE are inscribed i.e. The Seal of the Borough of Henley. This
is the version of the Seal held in the British library.
Who took
the 15th century Seal from Henley and When? Where did they take it and
Why? We do not know the answers to
these questions. The British Library and British Museum have no such records.
We can only speculate on possibilities.
In 1643
during the conflict between Charles I and Parliament, the King ordered his
nephew Prince Rupert to open a line of communication between Oxford and York.
The Prince's detachment of about 2,000 men reached Henley from Stratford on
Avon ‘about which they hovered for four days, pillaging the countrie
extremely as theirmanner
is'. Then they
continued to Birmingham where they captured the town androbbed the inhabitants. Did Prince Rupert's men take the Seal
of Henley-in-Arden?
There was
an even earlier incident where Henry VIII sent some of his men to look into the
affairs of the Chapel and the Guild. Did they take the Seal?
If any of
these scenarios is true then the Seal must have been held somewhere for more
than a century because the British Museum was established much later in 1753 in
the reign of George II. Did a local person take the seal to the British Museum
because of its historic significance and for safekeeping? Perhaps we shall
never know what actually happened.
The
future of the Seal
We now know
that the Seal of our Town is held in the British Library, at 96 Euston Road,
London. But what now? Should our Seal come back home and be held at our
Heritage Centre where it historically belongs? Or should it go to a local
Museum? Or should it stay at the British Library? I do not know what the British Library's view is on this
matter but ....What do you think?
Acknowledgments:
The
description of the Seal originated from W. De G. Birch, Catalogue of Seals
(1892) British Museum. The source of the historical events described come from
the book of the late William Cooper ‘Henley-in-Arden an Ancient Market Town'
1946 (ISBN 0 86023 500 9). This book is available at Henley library (942.48
HEN); it can be seen at the Heritage Centre and can be purchased via the
internet. Also, I must thank the British Museum and the Manuscripts department
of the British Library. Without their help and advice it would have not been
possible to find the 15th century Seal of Henley- in- Arden. I must also thank all the Parish
Councillors who supported me throughout this project and Ray and Ann Holding
for agreeing to exhibit the image of the Seal at the Heritage Centre. Last but
not least, I should like to thank Jonathan Dovey who pointed out William Cooper's
book to me and from whom I received help and advice throughout my research and
to our local artist Caroline Pratt who prepared the artistic impression of the
Seal and then gave it to the Parish Council.
The Search for the
15th century