The earliest, original historical document in the Queen Elizabeth’s School archive is the Royal Charter, which confirms the school’s foundation 450 years ago. Very few school charters from this period of history survive, making this a rare and important artefact not just in documenting our school’s history but also as a record of the history of Elizabethan education and Elizabethan propaganda.

A Royal Charter is a formal grant issued by the monarch in the form of a legally binding written order, or letters patent. It is written on parchment (treated animal hide) which was much more durable than paper and in Latin, the conventional language for legal documents until the early 1700s.

The charter which was granted on 24th March 1573 is stamped with the sovereign’s seal and sets out the early aims of the school, giving instructions on how it should be run.
Explore this fascinating document further by clicking on the quill icons. Discover what the charter tells us about Queen Elizabeth, test your knowledge of the school’s history, have a go at deciphering the ancient handwriting and more…