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The Dering Roll |
The Heraldry
Society is giving its full support to an appeal by the British Library to keep
the Dering Roll in the United Kingdom.
The Dering
Roll was probably compiled during the reign of Edward I (1272-1307). The vellum
roll measuring a little over eight inches by eight feet eight inches is painted
on a green background with 324 shields in 54 rows of 6 each. Names are written
above each shield except five where they have been omitted or erased.
Early
ownership is uncertain, but in the early 17th century it was owned
by Sir Edward Dering of Pluckley in Kent, whose interest in antiquarian studies
and manuscripts led him to amass a great library. The Roll was later acquired
in about 1835 by the great collector Sir Thomas Phillips Bt and bought from his
estate by Sir Anthony Wagner in 1948.
The Wagner
estate put the Roll up for auction at Sotheby’s in December and it was sold to
a foreign purchaser. In
the same sale the British Library successfully bid for Cooke's Ordinary and the Balliol
Roll, previously on loan to the British Library from 2001 to 2007 and to be
found with shelfmark Add. Roll 77242. Export of the Dering Roll is
subject to licensing control, and it has been put on hold to offer the
opportunity to raise a price of £192,500 plus VAT. The British Library is
mounting a public appeal for the funds so that it can purchase the Roll: if it
succeeds, there will be public access to the Roll for the first time. The
purchase price must be raised by 19th July.
Pledges of
money for the Appeal should be sent to Gabrielle Filmer-Pasco, Development Office, The British
Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB,
e-mail gabrielle.filmer-pasco@bl.uk, telephone 0207 412 7120.
The Heraldry
Society, 14th March 2008