It would seem that the significance of the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta was not sufficient to convey the true value of this most ancient of materials. When the House of Commons vote they will decide whether ‘recorded history’ will be accessible to those who follow many generations into the future. I am told that the rationale is ‘cost saving’. To that end I have calculated the cost of Magna Carta at todays prices. It...

We were delighted to welcome a team from the BBC to record footage to be used in an article regarding the Magna Carta. The piece culminates in Melvyn Bragg being presented with a parchment document. Sadly, he didn’t get to reveal it ‘live’….an absolute shame. Maybe he’ll reveal the script one day! Please follow the link to view the...

Vellum as is undergoing an extraordinary renaissance as a covering for furniture. Use the link below to read the full Financial Times article or read a summary of some of the professional quotes here on this page. Link to full FT article “Vellum Clad Furniture” In this fascinating and inspirational article in the Financial Times, Nicole Swengley talks to some of the country’s leading Interior Designers and Furniture Makers...

    You may have seen William Cowley’s recent appearance on Michael Portillo’s ‘Great British Train Journeys’ – Episode 7 -“Bletchley to Newport Pagnell” broadcast on BBC 2 last January. If you missed it, a short clip from the programme can still be viewed via this link: ‘Great British Train Journeys – Bletchley to Newport Pagnell’ We were very proud to receive Michael...

It was a pleasure to meet so many of you at the St Albans Magna Carta celebration. The interest shown in our ancient craft was ‘considerable’ to say the least. I have never answered so many questions! It was no surprise that, although we had gathered to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, discussions frequently centred on how your own documents could be reproduced on parchment. It was very apparent that marriage...

By Manager, Paul Wright William Cowley are delighted to announce our involvement in ‘Magna Carta 800’, the celebrations marking 800 years of the sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215. The company was proud to provide exhibits for the recent Magna Carta exhibition at St Albans Cathedral.  Our Parchment Making Demonstration on Sunday 25th August attracted a lot of interest from visitors. See our report on the day, also in the...