{"id":5131,"date":"2021-03-21T18:58:56","date_gmt":"2021-03-21T18:58:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toonsarah-travels.blog\/staging\/?p=5131"},"modified":"2021-03-21T18:59:07","modified_gmt":"2021-03-21T18:59:07","slug":"king-john-was-not-a-good-man-runnymede","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toonsarah-travels.blog\/staging\/king-john-was-not-a-good-man-runnymede\/","title":{"rendered":"King John was not a good man: Runnymede"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2018King John was not a good man, he had his little ways.’<\/span><\/strong><\/p>From King John’s Christmas<\/em>, A. A. Milne<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The barons of early 13th<\/sup> century England would have agreed with A. A. Milne (the creator of Winnie the Pooh)<\/strong>. In 1215 England was in political turmoil. King John had become vastly unpopular; his disagreements with the Pope over the appointment of a new Archbishop of Canterbury led to a papal interdict against the country and the king\u2019s excommunication, while the imposition of high taxes to fund the war with France led to mounting anger.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In early 1215 the barons seized control of London; and the king was left with no choice but to negotiate with them. The outcome of those negotiations was the sealing of the Magna Carta Libertatum<\/em>, the Great Charter of Liberty, usually known simply as Magna Carta<\/em>. The document held the king accountable to the rule of law; enshrined the rights of \u2018free men\u2019 to justice and a fair trial (free men in those days meaning a relatively small number of noblemen); and established a council of 25 barons to oversee it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The simplified account of our history usually stops here, suggesting that once the charter was sealed the matter was settled; but of course it wasn\u2019t that simple. The charter lasted less than a year before being annulled. But subsequent kings revised and revived it in various forms; and it is still regarded symbolically as the basis for much of British law and the workings of our Parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Green
The water meadows at Runnymede, and view of the Thames<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Runnymede<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Magna Carta<\/em> was sealed at Runnymede, a water-meadow on the south bank of the River Thames, in June 1215. Runnymede offered neutral ground located between the royal fortress of Windsor Castle and the barons\u2019 rebel base at Staines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today the meadows and the hill above them are owned and managed by the National Trust<\/a>. There are several interesting memorials, lots of space for picnics and family fun, and pleasant riverside and woodland walks. I used to come here regularly as a child. It was a favourite family outing, an easy drive from our home in a north west London suburb. But I hadn\u2019t been for decades; until the COVID lockdown in 2020 and subsequent slight easing, coupled with an exceptionally warm and sunny spring \/ early summer, led to an increased interest in discovering the sights close to home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Green
The water meadows at Runnymede<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We made two visits to Runnymede. The photos on this page were taken during both of them, just a few weeks apart. As Beth is asking us in this week\u2019s Lens-Artist Challenge<\/a> to \u2018feature images from places you have visited in the past when you needed a change of scenery\u2019, this seems the perfect opportunity to introduce you to a place that I think makes a perfect day trip from London whether you love history, nature or both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magna Carta Memorial<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The monument to the sealing of Magna Carta<\/em> sits on the slope of Coopers Hill, overlooking the meadow where that sealing is thought to have taken place. It was erected by the American Bar Association in 1957, reflecting the influence the document had on the US Constitution. It is said that the founding fathers turned to Magna Carta<\/em> for inspiration and guidance when they drew that up.<\/p>\n\n\n