Production of parchment legal deeds in England, 1690–1830

Abstract

Biomolecular analysis of historic legal documents is providing new insight into their production and use. Successful interpretation of this data is dependent on understanding if the location and date written on the document accurately reflect where the animal was raised and when it died. Our analysis reveals that the location the deed concerns or that of the stationer through whom it was sold, typically bears no relation to the animal’s origin, but that the date the agreement was signed is likely only a few months after the animal’s death.