Turn the pages of England's hidden treasure

Textus Roffensis (Rochester, c. 1122-3), folio 119r: Copy of the foundation document of Rochester Cathedral, dated to 604, though actually a fraudulent document! Image by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Rochester Cathedral.

The digitised facsimile of Textus Roffensis, the manuscript that Dr Monk has been researching for Rochester Cathedral and which will be the star attraction in its 'Hidden Treasures, Fresh Expressions' exhibition (opening January 2016), has been moved to a new site with improved technology.  You can access it, blessed readers, by clicking on the image above.  Below are two images capturing the zoom-in feature.  So enjoy turning the pages of one of the most important manuscripts in England! 

Dr Monk is delivering a talk in York on Saturday (20th June, 2015) about the work being done to promote Textus Roffensis to a wider audience.  Though it is arguably as important historically as Magna Carta and Domesday Book, it has barely broken through into the public consciousness.  Dr Monk asks why that may be and what is being done to remedy this.  He will report back to the Anglo-Saxon Monk in due course.  May the Lord bless him. 
 

The digital technology enables users to zoom in close to details, such as this small pointed finger, on folio 173r, marking out the name Gundulfus (Gundulf, the bishop of Rochester, who built the castle at Rochester). Image by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Rochester Cathedral.

Here, on folio 119v, you can see the boundary clause for the land granted to Rochester Priory by King Æthelberht of Kent. This charter is written in Latin except for the boundary clause, which is written in Old English, the language of the Anglo-Saxons. Though this document is fraudulent, we know from the historian Bede that Æthelberht did indeed grant land to Rochester. It is possible that the boundary clause represents the original transaction; and if so it is the oldest record of English street names. As well as Southgate ('suðgeate'), North Lane ('norð lanan'), and Street ('stræte'), you can see Broadgate ('Bradgeat') which has been underlined by a later hand. In the left margin a non-medieval hand has offered a translation of the Old English. Image by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Rochester Cathedral.