Heritage Gallery Exhibition: 1327 and the City of London

From royal charters to civic chronicles, explore the records of a period that shaped the City's history. The accession of Edward III in 1327 marked a dramatic turning point in English history. Following the deposition of Edward II by Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer, the young king inherited a kingdom transformed by political upheaval. This display explores how these momentous events were reflected in the governance, records and civic life of medieval London through treasures from the City of London's archives. **Andrew Horn and Liber Horn** Andrew Horn, Chamberlain of London throughout the 1320s, played a central role in the administration of the medieval City. On display is Liber Horn, the remarkable volume named after him, containing copies of charters, statutes, civic ordinances and other essential documents required for the running of the City. Alongside it is Horn's will. Having no surviving immediate family, Horn bequeathed his personal collection of books to the City of London upon his death in 1328, creating a lasting legacy for future generations. **Royal Charters and the City's Liberties** Soon after his accession, Edward III issued the 1327 charter to the City, confirming the City of London's existing rights and privileges. The display features this important document alongside Letter Book E (1314-1337), one of the City's official record books. It contains a copy of the charter granted to the Skinners' Company, illustrating the Crown's recognition of London's influential guilds during this period. These volumes served both as working administrative records and archives, preserving memoranda, legal documents and civic correspondence. **Recording London's History** The final section of the display presents The Great Chronicle of London, a major example of civic chronicle writing. Compiled in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries from earlier sources, it records key events in London's past. Through these extraordinary manuscripts and records, the display reveals how London's civic institutions documented, preserved and navigated a period of political change at the beginning of Edward III's reign.