#CanterburyBookshop

Alex Pearson, archives assistant with West Yorkshire Archive Service with the copy of the Leeds Charter
20th February 2026
3 mins read

Leeds’ historic Royal Charter saved from becoming a lampshade

One of the most important documents in Leeds’ history was rescued from an unlikely fate as a makeshift lampshade, city archivists have revealed, as preparations continue for a major exhibition celebrating 400 years since the city was granted its royal charter. The one-of-a-kind copy of the Leeds Royal Charter, delicately inscribed centuries ago —…