There is an interesting story on the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland website (www.proni.gov.uk) concerning attempts to conserve and digitise a major resource concerning the colonisation of Ulster in the Plantations of the 17th century.
The Great Parchment Book was a survey compiled in 1639 by a Commission instituted under the Great Seal by Charles I, recording the Derry estates managed by the City of London. The document, held at London Metropolitan Archives, was seriously damaged by fire over 200 years ago and as a consequence has been rarely viewed since. It is still largely visible however, and so work is now underway to try to retrieve as much from the work by flattening and then digitising its pages. The project is to tie in with the 400th anniversary of the building of Derry's walls.
The PRONI story has more detail at www.proni.gov.uk/news_details.htm?newsRef=2089, whilst a blog is also now running outlining progress at http://greatparchmentbook.wordpress.com/?v=7ofp7hOMbIE%3Cbr%20/%3E.
Having had a look at the blog, the team have one hell of a job on their hands - I look forward to seeing the results!
(With thanks to PRONI)
Chris
Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)
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