Share this page

Shakespeare documents added to the UNESCO UK Memory of the World Register

Exciting times for our Shakespeare documents

UNESCO June 2014

On Thursday 19 June we had the great pleasure of travelling to Bryce Hall, Edinburgh for the official ceremony announcing that the Shakespeare documents held by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust were to be added to the UNESCO UK Memory of the World Register. This was a joint application made with The National Archives, since between us we hold the majority of the 79 known Shakespeare documents.

The Shakespeare documents are unique handwritten documents, dating from within Shakespeare’s lifetime, that provide the evidence for understanding the narrative of his life. They include items such as the Parish Register, where Shakespeare's baptism and burial are both recorded, and the Quiney Letter which is thought to be the only surviving letter that was written to Shakespeare himself.  

The UNESCO Memory of the World project started in 1992 with the aim of preserving and protecting the world’s documentary heritage. There are 50 collections recorded on the UK Register including the Domesday Book, the Churchill Papers and the Bank of Scotland Archives, so they are a varied but highly significant group of items.

We were delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to this unique register and be counted amongst such a rich collection of the UK's documentary heritage.

Find out more about the latest additions to the UK Memory of the World Register