Efforts Underway to Preserve and Digitize 650-Year-Old Ecclesiastical Register in Northern Ireland

 

Conservation efforts have begun on one of the oldest surviving paper documents on the island of Ireland, a 650-year-old ecclesiastical register that belonged to Archbishop Milo Sweteman of Armagh. The register, dating back to the medieval period, is being meticulously restored at the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) as part of a broader initiative to protect and digitize some of the island's most significant historical records.

The ecclesiastical register, a critical source of medieval administrative work, contains copies or drafts of documents such as legal papers, correspondence, wills, and official letters created during the archbishops' tenure. Sweteman held the senior clerical role between 1361 and 1380, and his register offers invaluable insights into the ecclesiastical and legal landscape of the time.

Experts at PRONI are carefully repairing the delicate pages of the register, which have suffered from damage over the centuries. Previous conservation efforts in the early 20th century, which used acidic tracing paper, have caused further degradation, prompting the current restoration work. The tracing paper is being gently removed with a specialist gel, followed by low-pressure washing to restore the document’s integrity. As with previous conservation projects, Japanese kozo paper and wheat starch paste are being used to repair tears and losses in the paper.

This conservation work follows the completion of similar efforts on a register belonging to Archbishop John Swayne, dated from 1418 to 1438. Swayne's register has already been digitized, and both the original document and a translated summary are available online for public access.

Sarah Graham, head of conservation at PRONI, emphasized the rarity of paper during the time the registers were created. The registers were compiled just before the advent of the printing press, and parchment made from animal skins was the predominant writing material. The paper used in Sweteman’s register is particularly rare, with watermarks indicating that it was imported from Italy and Spain during the archbishops' travels in Europe.

The ongoing work is part of the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland project, an effort to partially reconstruct the historical archive that was destroyed in a fire during the Irish Civil War in 1922. Graham underscored the importance of preserving these ancient records for both present and future generations, ensuring that the rich history of Ireland remains accessible for research and public understanding.

In addition to the Sweteman and Swayne registers, conservation is also underway for a third register belonging to Archbishop Nicholas Fleming, dated between 1400 and 1418, further preserving the island's ecclesiastical heritage.