Magna Carta anniversary – History meets Art at Durham Cathedral

This Sunday, 15 June, the world marks the anniversary of the sealing of the 1215 issue of Magna Carta and this summer Durham Cathedral will be exploring its legacy with a major exhibition and inviting audiences to contribute to a Charter for the 21st century with an exciting new contemporary art installation.

The luminous artwork, named Words That Bind Us, is a contemporary artwork of luminous text which will describe a vision for a fairer, more compassionate future. It is currently being crowdsourced by individuals and local community groups, to form a ‘Modern Charter’. The words and phrases collected will then be projected onto the cathedral floor, where the words will flow, ripple, and subtly reshape themselves as visitors walk through them.

Members of the public are now invited to contribute to and shape this developing artwork by visiting the artist’s online portal.

Nicola says,

“The Magna Carta caused ripples of change that have impacted how democracy and rights are understood in a fair society. I hope people will be inspired by the anniversary to go online and become part of this collective vision of a ‘Modern Charter’. To take part people will be asked 10 short questions and they can answer as many as they like. It takes just 10–20 minutes to reflect and contribute meaningfully.”

With animated displays of colour and motion, Nicola’s piece will take the thoughts and ideas from the online portal and community group sessions, to create a flowing river of words through the Nave. The artwork will change daily as all those who visit the Museum exhibition will have the chance to vote for a word or phrase that resonates with them. This will then inform the words and phrases shown on the cathedral floor, creating an interactive and ever-changing art piece.

Nicola continues,

“When the exhibition is in the cathedral, I hope visitors will be drawn first to explore the light as a flowing river, and then to look deeper to read its component words. They may choose to bathe in the light of a particular word or phrase, letting it rest in their hands, perhaps trying to capture it in a photo, but ultimately experiencing it as momentary and without physical presence.”

Nicola is working in collaboration with North East innovative creative studio NOVAK to bring the ‘The Words that Bind Us’ to life through beautifully crafted digital projections, giving people a unique and immersive experience.

From 11 July to 2 November 2025, visitors will be able to see the rare documents in Durham Cathedral Museum and this contemporary artwork in the Nave as part of a new exhibition, Magna Carta and the North. On display will be the only surviving 1216 Magna Carta, along with issues from 1225 and 1300, and three Forest Charters – practical documents granting access to land and natural resources.

The last time the Magna Cartas and the Forest Charters were on display at Durham Cathedral was in the summer of 2017 when almost 19,000 people came to see them over an 11-week period.

Alison Cullingford, Head of Libraries and Collections at Durham Cathedral says,

“We care for an extensive medieval archive here at Durham Cathedral and the Magna Cartas and Forest Charters are some of the most remarkable documents within it. Due to their fragile nature and historical importance, these documents are rarely seen by the general public so we’re very excited to display them once again for the world to see.”

Magna Carta, or the ‘Great Charter’, has been described as the most famous document in English history and a cornerstone of modern democracy. First issued in 1215, it was the first document that put into writing that the king and his government were not above the law, in order to prevent the king from exploiting his power. With three clauses from the 1225 Magna Carta still in force today, the document remains a cornerstone of British democracy.

From 11 July to 2 November, visitors will be able to get up close to the documents in the Durham Cathedral Museum. Tickets for the Museum cost £7.50 for adults and will be free for under 18s. There is no admission charge to enter Durham Cathedral, donations are welcome

To take part in Nicola’s installation and for more information on the Magna Carta and the North exhibition visit www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/magnacarta