Magna Carta Island Explained

Magna Carta Island is an ait in the River Thames in England, on the reach above Bell Weir Lock. It is in Berkshire facing water-meadows forming Runnymede. Its civil and ecclesiastical parish is Wraysbury so it was transferred from Buckinghamshire to Berkshire in 1974.

History

The island is a contender for being the place where, in 1215, King John sealed Magna Carta.[1] Whilst the charter itself indicates Runnymede by name, it is possible the island may have been considered part of Runnymede at the time. It is known that in 1217 the island was the meeting-place of Henry III and Louis (later Louis VIII) of France.[1]

In the early 1920s it was owned by a stockbroker, J. F. MacGregor, and his wife, the music hall performer Maidie Scott.[2] In August 2014 Forbes reported that the island would be sold by Sotheby's International Realty.[3]

See also

References

51.4462°N -0.5629°W

Notes and References

  1. History of the Parish of Wraysbury, Ankerwycke Priory, and Magna Charta Island; with the History of Horton, and the town of Colnbrook, Bucks., G.W.J. Gyll, 1862, London: H. G. Bohn. OCLC: 5001532 Online Version at Google Books
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmgO0GIdCjs Film of Magna Carta Island, 1920s, Kinolibrary.com
  3. News: Passino. Carla. Historic Magna Carta Island Goes On Sale. 5 August 2014. Forbes. 5 August 2014.