FOR centuries copies of Magna Carta were protected by monks at Osney Abbey in Oxford And now to mark the 800th anniversary of the historic document they are going on display in the city.

The charter, agreed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor on June 15, 1215 is one of the most celebrated documents in history.

There are only 13 copies in existence in the world and four of them are kept at the Bodleian Library.

One is on loan to the British Library for a major exhibition in London, two are on display as part of the Magna Carta 800 exhibition at the Bodleian while the other is part of the Marks of Genius display at the new Weston Library.

With a royal castle, Oxford also had a part to play in the dramatic story of the King’s fall out of love with his barons.

It was here in 1215 that King John held a crisis meeting with his nobles as the situation threatened to spill over into civil war.

Dr Hugh Doherty, a specialist in medieval history who lived and studied in the city, said: “Oxford is where there was a major council between the king and the barons between July 16-23,1215.

“The barons wanted to see if the king would be true to his word and stick by the promises he had made in Magna Carta. At one point the king got out of them by saying he was sick and staying in bed.”

The three copies (or officially engrossments) of Magna Carta on display in Oxford were made in 1217 and 1225. They differ slightly to the 1215 original but are still incredibly rare.

The free display at the Bodleian is on until the end of the month while the Weston Library exhibition runs until September 22.

MARKING THE DATE

* A HOST of events are happening across Oxfordshire to mark the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta.

Oxfordshire County Council held an event yesterday at the Story Museum in Oxford to encourage young people to write and create designs, exhibitions and films with a Magna Carta theme.

Banbury Museum is organising an event on June 25 to mark the role of baron Geoffrey De Say in helping force King John to sign Magna Carta.

THE CHARTER

* THE first parts of the document concern the position of the Catholic Church in England.

Those that follow state that King John will be less harsh on the barons. Many of the clauses concern England’s legal system. 

It states that everyone shall have access to courts and that costs and money should not be an issue if someone wanted to take a problem to the law courts.  The last few sections deal with how Magna Carta would be enforced.