Key unlocks Bishop’s Castle history

Friday 4th November 2011, 10:59AM GMT.

Volunteer Prue Dakin, from Bishop’s Castle Heritage and Resource Centre, takes a close look at the seal with volunteer Kate Price, Dr St John Penney and Mayor Keith Pinches holding the documents

Historic documents shedding light on key moments in Bishop’s Castle from Elizabethan times have been unveiled after nearly 40 years – after the key to their box was found.

The wooden box, which contains two town charters dating back to the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I and the town’s Great Seal, has been lying in a bank vault at the town’s HSBC bank branch for decades.

But the box – which was originally sealed more than 400 years ago – had not been opened in public since 1973 after the key was lost.

Now the key has been found – in the mayor’s parlour at Bishop’s Castle Town Hall. And town councillors and staff at Bishop’s Castle Heritage Resource Centre are discussing where the ‘magnificent’ documents should be kept.

Patricia Theobald from the resource centre said: “For many years I have asked people at the heritage resource centre if anyone knew where the charters were and most assumed they were in the bank. But when we went to the bank we couldn’t access the box as we couldn’t prove ownership and didn’t have the key.

“This was not resolved until town clerk Diane Malley found a bunch of keys, went to the bank and tried each one. Like Cinderella’s shoe, one of them was a perfect fit.”

The artefacts went on show nearly 40 years ago to mark the 400th anniversary of signing the Bishop’s Castle town charter.

Mrs Theobald said, “These are hugely important historic documents for Bishop’s Castle.”