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60-607: Runnymede is a water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the English county of Surrey , bordering Berkshire and just over 20 miles (32 km) west of central London . It is notable for its association with the sealing of Magna Carta , and as a consequence is, with its adjoining hillside, the site of memorials. Runnymede Borough is named after the area, Runnymede being at its northernmost point. The name Runnymede refers to land in public and National Trust ownership in

120-412: A river . "Water-meadow" is sometimes used more loosely to mean any level grassland beside a river. Two main types of water-meadow were used. These were used for fields on slopes, and relatively little engineering skill was required to construct them. Water from a stream or spring was fed to the top of a sloping field, and gentle sloping terraces were formed along which the water could trickle in

180-805: A Minister-Counselor at the US Embassy in London, planted an oak tree adjacent to the Magna Carta Memorial in 1987, as did P. V. Narismha Rao, Prime Minister of India. The Prime Minister left a plaque reading: As a tribute to the historic Magna Carta, a source of inspiration throughout the world, and as an affirmation of the values of Freedom, Democracy and the Rule of Law which the People of India cherish and have enshrined in their Constitution. March 16, 1994 In 1987 two further oak trees were planted near

240-402: A Site of Special Scientific Interest. Both sites are overseen by Runnymede Borough Council. The National Trust holding includes: Long Mede is a meadow north of the ancient "mede" (meadow) of Runnymede towards Old Windsor and has been used for centuries to provide good-quality hay from the alluvial pasture. Runnymede itself lies towards Egham. It is likely that Runnymede proper was the site of

300-683: A country house, Park Close , at Englefield Green near Windsor, Berkshire . The two sons attended Harrow School . Broughton decided to become a Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party and in June 1915 he was elected unopposed in a by-election in Preston , Lancashire. He was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Attorney General F.E. Smith . Finding the role of an MP tedious, he did not stand for re-election in

360-471: A curriculum suited to their requirements and to give enjoyment to the public by admitting it to the gardens once a week". The gift was said to be worth three or four hundred thousand pounds. Broughton died of pneumonia at his home in Park Street on 30 January 1929. He had been due to receive a peerage in the 1929 New Year Honours , but the announcement of the list had been delayed by two months due to

420-664: A dedication at the yew, stating: We the free people of the islands of Great Britain on the 777th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta do: Look back and give thanks for the benefits that the signings, sealing and swearing of oaths on that document handed down to us. Look forward to a new age of freedom through sustainability by granting the following rights to all the sons of plants and animals with which we share our islands and our planet. There followed ten pledges to sustain all life forms. Water-meadow Water-meadows should not be confused with flood-meadows , which are naturally covered in shallow water by seasonal flooding from

480-570: A good day visitors can see as far as the Wembley Arch and even the Gherkin in the City of London. The memorial was designed by Edward Maufe , architect of Guildford Cathedral , with architectural sculptures by Vernon Hill . The British memorial for U.S. President John F. Kennedy was jointly dedicated on 14 May 1965, by Queen Elizabeth II and Jacqueline Kennedy , prior to a reception for

540-547: A newspaper from Broughton's home town of Worcester, England, reported the marriage: "Another American millionaire young lady is about to marry an Englishman, who is not a duke. He is not even a baron but a simple commoner. The lady is a widow and worth a million in her own right". The couple had two sons: Urban Huttleston Rogers Broughton (known as "Huttleston"; 1896-1966) and Henry Rogers Broughton (1900-1973). Following his marriage, Broughton became involved in his father-in-law's business affairs, while maintaining his connection to

600-458: A shorter version of those adjacent to the lodges either side of the same road towards Old Windsor in the Long Mede. The lodges show typical Lutyens design features with steeply angled roofs, large false chimneys and no rainwater gutters at the eaves. The piers carry similar inscriptions. On one face is the inscription: In these Meads on 15th June 1215 King John at the instance of Deputies from

660-600: A species of fly unrecorded elsewhere in the United Kingdom. The Air Forces Memorial commemorates the men and women of the Allied Air Forces who died during the Second World War and records the names of the 20,456 airmen who have no known grave. From the top of the tower visitors can see long views over Windsor , the surrounding counties and aircraft taking off and landing at Heathrow . On

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720-742: A wetland Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) was first notified in 1975 and later reviewed under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 when the protected area was extended to 64 acres (260,000 m) within Runnymede as managed by the National Trust. The pond and associated meadow form a habitat considered unique in Southern England and of international importance for nature conservation. The flora and fauna include nationally scarce plants and insects including

780-405: A zig-zag fashion down the field. The water could be used again for fields lower down the slope. Bedwork or floated water-meadows were built on almost-level fields along broad river valleys ; they required careful construction to ensure correct operation. A leat , called a main , carrier or top carrier , diverted water from the river and carried it down the valley at a gentler slope than

840-640: Is believed to derive from the Middle English runinge (taking counsel) and mede (mead or meadow), describing a place in the meadows used to hold regular meetings. The Witan, Witenagemot or Council of the Anglo-Saxon Kings of the 7th to 11th centuries met from time to time at Runnymede during the reign of Alfred the Great (871–899). The Council usually assembled in the open air. This political organ transformed in succeeding years, influencing

900-692: The December 1918 general election . In 1916, Broughton published a pamphlet, The British Empire at war , which was intended to encourage the United States to enter World War I . Cara Broughton became involved with charitable work for soldiers during the war, while their son Huttleston Broughton served in the 1st Life Guards . Cara Broughton owned a steam yacht, the Sapphire , and Broughton wrote two accounts of their voyages, one printed for private circulation in 1922, and one published in 1926. He

960-462: The Kennedy family at Windsor Castle . The memorial consists of a garden and Portland stone memorial tablet inscribed with the famous quote from his Inaugural Address : Let every Nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and success of liberty. Visitors reach

1020-653: The National Trust "to preserve for ever the site where Magna Carta was signed and to honour the memory of the late Mr Urban Hanlon Broughton, husband of Lady Fairhaven and father of Lord Fairhaven and Captain Broughton". Lady Fairhaven and her sons commissioned Sir Edwin Lutyens to design a set of twin memorials consisting of two lodges and pillars at the Windsor end of the meadow and two kiosks and pillars at

1080-603: The Shoreditch College of Education (a centre for craft and handiwork education); and most recently, Brunel University 's department of design (since relocated to Brunel University's campus in Uxbridge). The 1,400-year-old-plus Ankerwycke Yew , on the left (east) bank of the river, is also a possible site where Magna Carta may have been sealed. The tree could have been the location of the Witan council and influenced

1140-503: The ABA again visited Runnymede. During its convention it installed as President Charles Rhyne, who devised Law Day , which in the United States represents an annual reaffirmation of faith in the forces of law for peace. Floodlights were installed in 2008 to light the memorial at night. In 2015, in anticipation of the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta, the two wooden benches at the memorial were replaced by stone benches. On 15 June,

1200-565: The Magna Carta 800th Anniversary celebrations. Based on Clause 39 of Magna Carta, and inspired perhaps by the inscription on John Keats ' grave monument, artist Mark Wallinger designed Writ in Water to celebrate the legacy of Magna Carta. It combines sky, light and water creating a space for reflection both physically and contemplatively. Architects Studio Octopi installed the art work on Coopers Hill Slopes (accessible from Longmede) and it

1260-484: The Magna Carta 800th anniversary celebrations on 15 June, but their presence did not affect proceedings, and the eviction was completed at a later date. After the death of Urban Broughton in 1929, Sir Edwin Lutyens was commissioned to design a set of twin memorials consisting of large kiosks and posts or "piers" with stone blocks crowned with laurel wreaths and formalised urns at the Egham end and with lodges and piers at

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1320-677: The Memorial. One, planted by Queen Elizabeth II, marked National Tree Week. Another, planted by John O. Marsh, Secretary of the Army of the US, has a plaque which reads: This oak tree, planted with soil from Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in the New World, commemorates the bicentenary of the Constitution of the United States of America. It stands in acknowledgement that

1380-593: The Shone Company, managing a copper firm and setting up the National Copper bank. When Broughton's father-in-law died in 1909, his wealth was divided between his four surviving children equally, and Cara and Urban Broughton became enormously wealthy. Three years later, the family left the United States to take up residence in England, buying a large property at 37 Park Street, Mayfair , London, and

1440-517: The Thames flood plain south-west of the river between Old Windsor and Egham . The area includes (to the west of A308 road ) the Long Mede and Runnymede, which together with Coopers Hill Slopes is managed by the National Trust. There is also a narrower strip of land, east of the road and west of the river, known as the Yard Mede. On the west bank of the river, at the southern end of the area shown on

1500-418: The United States, married an American heiress, returned to England and was for three-and-a-half years a Conservative Member of Parliament . In 1928, he donated Ashridge House to the Conservative Party and in 1929, he was in line for elevation to the peerage , but he died before the honour was bestowed. His wife, Cara Leland (née Rogers) Broughton, was granted the style of a baron's wife, and their eldest son

1560-633: The University of London and won the Miller Prize of the Institution of Civil Engineers . Broughton's early career included work on the construction of Felixstowe docks, 1882–1884. He then went to the United States to promote the hydro-pneumatic sewerage system of Isaac Shone, a former neighbour from Wrexham. He worked on sewerage systems in Chicago and other towns and, on his own account,

1620-499: The Windsor end. Lutyens also designed a low wide arch bridge to carry the main road over the Thames to the north, integrating the road layout and bridge design into his plans for the memorials. The southern kiosks were moved to their present location when the M25 motorway was constructed. There are two octagonal kiosks with piers facing each other across the A308 towards Egham. These piers are

1680-483: The above map, are (inter alia): a recreational area with a large car park; a number of private homes; a large distribution centre; and a hotel. The landscape of Runnymede is characterised as "Thames Basin Lowland", an urban fringe. It is a gently undulating vale of small fields interspersed by woods, shaws , ponds, meadows, and heath. The National Trust area is a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) which contains

1740-656: The anniversary day, the ABA, accompanied by US Attorney General Loretta Lynch , rededicated the memorial in a ceremony led by Anne, Princess Royal in the presence of Elizabeth II and other members of the British Royal Family . The Magna Carta Memorial is administered by the Magna Carta Trust, which is chaired by the Master of the Rolls . Prince Edward, Duke of Kent together with David K. Diebold,

1800-413: The by-carriers. The larger sluices may be concealed under the roots of trees (such as crack willows ), which have grown up from seedlings established in the brickwork. The complex mixture of wet and drier ground often gives derelict water-meadows particularly high wetland biodiversity . Derelict water-meadows can be transformed into wildlife protection and conservation areas by repairing and operating

1860-475: The county of Surrey Sometime Member of Parliament These meadows of historic interest on 18th December 1929 were gladly offered to the Nation by his widow Cara Lady Fairhaven and his sons Huttleston Lord Fairhaven and Henry Broughton The memorials were opened in 1932 by Edward VIII and are Grade II listed buildings. Langham Pond was created when the meandering River Thames formed an oxbow lake . Its status as

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1920-538: The creation of England's 13th-century parliament . The water-meadow at Runnymede is the most likely location at which, in 1215, King John sealed Magna Carta . The charter itself references Runnymede by name as "Ronimed. inter Windlesoram et Stanes" (between Windsor and Staines). Magna Carta affected common and constitutional law as well as political representation, also affecting the development of parliament. Runnymede's association with ideals of democracy, limitation of power, equality and freedom under law has attracted

1980-729: The family when three of the children died within one week. The surviving children were reunited with their parents in 1868 and the family settled in Wrexham in North Wales , where Broughton attended Grove Park School . John Broughton spent the last ten years or more of his life in the Joint Counties Lunatic Asylum in Carmarthen , Wales. Broughton was a pupil of the firm Low and Thomas, civil and mining engineers of Wrexham, from 1875 to 1878. He also studied at

2040-453: The founding of St Mary's Priory there. This religious site may well have been the preferred neutral meeting place of King John and the barons. Land development proposals threatening the yew led to action resulting in the tree and surrounding estate passing into the protection of the National Trust in 1998. Henry VIII is said to have met Anne Boleyn under the tree in the 1530s. In 1992, botanist and environmental campaigner David Bellamy led

2100-538: The ground and so allowed grass to grow several weeks earlier than otherwise, and in dry summer weather irrigation kept the grass growing. It also allowed the ground to absorb any plant nutrients or silt carried by the river water – this fertilised the grassland, and incidentally also reduced eutrophication of the river water by nutrient pollution . The grass was used both for making hay and for grazing by livestock (usually cattle or sheep ). Former water-meadows are found along many river valleys, where

2160-551: The health of George V and so the barony was awarded to his eldest son instead. The official list recorded that the barony was awarded to "Broughton, Urban Huttleston Rogers Esq, in consideration of the public, political and philanthropic services of his father, whose elevation to the Peerage would have been recommended to His Majesty but for his death on January 30, 1929". On 2 May 1929 the king proclaimed that "Cara Leland Broughton, widow of Urban Hanlon Broughton, may henceforth enjoy

2220-468: The ideals of liberty and justice embodied in the Constitution trace their lineage through institutions of English law to Magna Carta, sealed at Runnymede on June 15th, 1215. The Jurors artwork was commissioned by Surrey County Council and the National Trust to mark the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta. The sculptor Hew Locke created 12 bronze chairs each of which is decorated with symbols of past and present struggles for freedom, equality and

2280-483: The irrigation, as is the case of Josefov Meadows in the Czech Republic. By imitating the natural river flooding which is rare in modern straightened and dammed rivers, a rich biodiversity can be restored and attract and sustain many rare and protected wetland species. Urban Hanlon Broughton Urban Hanlon Broughton (12 April 1857 – 30 January 1929) was an English civil engineer who went to work in

2340-719: The main back to the river. The ridges varied in height depending on the available head – usually from around 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 in). The pattern of carriers and drains was generally regular, but it was adapted to fit the natural topography of the ground and the locations of suitable places for the offtake and return of water. The water flow was controlled by a system of hatches ( sluice gates) and stops (small earth or wooden-board dams ). Irrigation could be provided separately for each section of water-meadow. Sometimes aqueducts took carriers over drains, and causeways and culverts provided access for wagons . The working or floating (irrigation) and maintenance of

2400-478: The memorial by treading a steep path of irregular granite steps, intended to symbolise a pilgrimage. There are 50 steps in total, representing the 50 states in the USA. Each step is different from all others, with the entire flight made from 60,000 hand-cut granite setts. Landscape architect Geoffrey Jellicoe designed the garden; sculptor Alan Collins designed and carved the stone inscription. The area of ground on which

2460-505: The memorial is situated was given as a gift to the United States by the people of the United Kingdom, though the area remains under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom. It is maintained by the Kennedy Memorial Trust , which also sponsors educational scholarships for British students to attend university in the United States. In 1968 the 7-ton stone was damaged by a bomb during a time of anti-Vietnam war demonstrations; it

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2520-484: The placement there of monuments and commemorative symbols. The last fatal duel in England took place in 1852, on Priest Hill, a continuation of Cooper's Hill by Windsor Great Park . The National Trust land was donated in 1929 by Cara Rogers Broughton and her two sons. The American-born widow of Urban Hanlon Broughton , she was permitted by letter from George V to join her son's new peerage in tribute to her husband and this gift and be styled Lady Fairhaven. The gift

2580-545: The river has occasionally changed its course here. Ankerwycke and the ruins of the 12th-century Priory of St Mary's were both acquired by the National Trust in 1998. As the Thames forms the county boundary at this point, these areas now lie in Berkshire . Runnymede's historical significance has been heavily influenced by its proximity to the Roman Road river-crossing at nearby Staines-upon-Thames . The name Runnymede

2640-443: The river, producing a hydrostatic head between the two. Mains were often along the edge of the valley, each main supplying up to about 1 km (0.6 mi) of the valley. The water from the main was used to supply many smaller carriers, on the crests of ridges built across the fields. The channel on the crest of each ridge would overflow slowly down the sides (the panes ) of the ridge, the channel eventually tapering to an end at

2700-450: The rule of law. The artist invites participants to sit, reflect upon and discuss the themes represented. In the image the back of the chair nearest the viewer is a representation of Nelson Mandela's prison cell on Robben Island, South Africa. The portrait seen of the further chair is of Lillie Lenton wearing insignia related to the imprisonment and activism of suffragettes. The installation was inaugurated at Runnymede by Prince William during

2760-435: The same style and title as if her husband...had survived and received the title and dignity of Baron Fairhaven". On 11 December 1929 a memorial tablet to Broughton in the chapel of Ashridge house was unveiled by Stanley Baldwin . In 1929 Lady Fairhaven and her sons bought the historic Runnymede Meadow , with adjoining lands totaling 182 acres (0.74 km ), twenty miles (32 km) southwest of London, and presented it to

2820-477: The sealing of Magna Carta, although the Magna Carta Memorial stands on Long Mede. The sealing of Magna Carta is also popularly associated with Magna Carta Island , on the opposite (east) bank of the Thames. It has also sometimes been associated with the nearby Ankerwycke Yew . These and their surrounding landscape of floodplain and parkland may once have formed an integral part of Runnymede, as

2880-475: The sluice gates, channels and field ridges may still be visible (however the ridges should not be confused with ridge and furrow topography, which is found on drier ground and has a very different origin in arable farming ). The drains in a derelict water-meadow are generally clogged and wet, and most of the carrier channels are dry, with the smaller ones on the ridge-tops often invisible. If any main carrier channels still flow, they usually connect permanently to

2940-419: The tip of the ridge. The seeping water would then collect between the ridges, in drains or drawns , these joining to form a bottom carrier or tail drain which returned the water to the river. The ridges and the drains made an interlocking grid (like interlaced fingers), but the ridge-top channels and the drains did not connect directly. A by-carrier took any water not needed for irrigation straight from

3000-423: The water-meadow was done by a highly skilled craftsman called a drowner or waterman , who was often employed by several adjacent farmers. The terminology used for watermeadows varied considerably with locality and dialect. Water-meadow irrigation did not aim to flood the ground, but to keep it continuously damp – a working water-meadow has no standing water. Irrigation in early spring kept frosts off

3060-599: The whole community of the Realm granted the Great Charter the earliest of constitutional documents whereunder ancient and cherished customs were confirmed abuses redressed and the administration of justice facilitated new provisions formulated for the preservation of peace and every individual perpetually secured in the free enjoyment of his life and property. and on the other the words: In perpetual memory of Urban Hanlon Broughton 1857–1929 of Park Close Englefield Green in

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3120-530: Was a contractor for 1893 World Fair in Chicago. In 1895, Broughton was invited by oil tycoon Henry Huttleston Rogers of Standard Oil to install the Shone sewerage system in his home town of Fairhaven, Massachusetts where the family had a summer home. At Fairhaven, Broughton met Cara Leland Duff , the widowed daughter of Henry Rogers. The couple were married on 12 November 1895. Berrow's Weekly Journal ,

3180-632: Was a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Royal Thames Yacht Club . In 1928, Broughton purchased Ashridge House in Hertfordshire, and donated it to the Conservative Party as a memorial to former Prime Minister Bonar Law . The Times announced: "The purposes of the gift are to preserve for the nation a historic site and a stately building, to establish a centre where all grades of Conservatives can find

3240-703: Was created the first Baron Fairhaven . Broughton was born in Worcester , England on 12 April 1857, the son of railway manager John Broughton and Abigail Elizabeth ( née O'Hanlon) Broughton. The family moved around as John Broughton worked for different railway companies, living in Lapworth , Warwickshire and, later, Ireland. In the 1860s, John and Elizabeth Broughton spent six years in India, leaving their children with relatives of Elizabeth in Ireland. Tragedy struck

3300-612: Was given in memory of Urban Broughton. At the time the New Bedford Standard-Times commented: "It must be a source of gratification to all Americans, and especially to us here and in Fairhaven , that the presentation of this historic spot as public ground has been brought about by an American woman, an appropriate enough circumstance considering that the great charter underlies the USA's conception of government and human rights." Between 2012 and 2015, Cooper's Hill

3360-533: Was later repaired by the sculptor. Situated in a grassed enclosure, on the lower slopes of Cooper's Hill, this memorial is of a domed classical style monopteros , containing a pillar of English granite on which is inscribed "To commemorate Magna Carta, symbol of Freedom Under Law". The memorial was created by the American Bar Association (ABA) after a suggestion by the lawyer and historian Louis Ottenberg. Designed by Sir Edward Maufe R.A., it

3420-458: Was obtained from springs on the site, and the village was largely hidden from view from outside the woodland. The members called themselves "Diggers" after the 17th-century Diggers movement. There were two unsuccessful attempts to evict the settlers in the first year of occupation; and on 30 March 2015 bailiffs served a further High Court trespass notice on behalf of the landowners, Orchard Runnymede Ltd. The settlers were still in occupation during

3480-444: Was occupied by a radical community living in self-build houses, huts, benders , and tents in the self-proclaimed "Runnymede Eco Village". Around 40 people, including a few young families, lived in a dispersed settlement throughout the 4 acres of woodland. They used mainly reclaimed material to build living structures, solar power to generate electricity, wood-burners for heat, cultivated some vegetables and kept chickens and geese. Water

3540-442: Was unveiled on 18 July 1957 at a ceremony attended by American and English lawyers. Since 1957 representatives of the ABA have visited and rededicated the Memorial, renewing pledges to the Great Charter. In 1971 and 1985 commemorative stones were placed on the Memorial plinth. In July 2000 the ABA came: to celebrate Magna Carta, foundation of the rule of law for ages past and for the new millennium. In 2007, on its 50th anniversary,

3600-681: Was unveiled on the 803rd anniversary of the sealing of the Great Charter. A large house on Cooper's Hill, overlooking Runnymede and the River Thames, has been at different times: the Royal Indian Engineering College ; wartime Post Office headquarters; storage during World War II for the statue of Anteros (popularly known as "Eros") from the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain , Picadilly Circus , London; an emergency teacher training college;

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