Salisbury Cathedral Magna Carta back on show after hammer attack
- Published
The Magna Carta has gone back on show inside the medieval Chapter House
Salisbury Cathedral's Magna Carta has gone back on display three months after someone tried to steal it.
Staff had to wrestle the would-be thief to the ground after parts of the glass case it was kept in were smashed with a hammer in October.
The 803-year-old document, claimed to be the best preserved of four original Magna Cartas, was undamaged and has been in storage until now.
The cathedral said the new case had "hidden safety features".
It also has "the highest security rating of any case in the UK", a spokesperson added.
The hammer made three holes in the top layer of protective glass
Curator of the Magna Carta exhibition, Emily Naish, said: "Something like this is an archivist's nightmare and it was a great relief to know that the charter had escaped unscathed.
"Luckily, no glass dust or shards had penetrated the seal on the inner case.
"I am thankful that both cases did the job they were designed to do and the document emerged unharmed."
The broken glass from the original outer case will now be exhibited alongside the document inside the medieval Chapter House, as part of its story.
A 46-year-old man arrested in connection with the attempted theft was released under investigation and remains on bail, Wiltshire Police said.
- Published27 October 2018
- Published26 October 2018
