Crowdfunder launched to preserve letter written by Robert the Bruce in 1312

A letter written by Robert the Bruce in 1312 is the subject of a crowdfunding campaign to preserve the historic document.

The National Trust for Scotland hopes to raise £24,000 on St Andrew's Day to put the letter back on display and protect it within a state of the art case at Brodie Castle in Moray.

Written in Latin on Vellum paper by King Robert to Malcolm, Thane of Brodie, regarding the maintenance of the castle, the letter predates the oldest parts of the building by about 200 years and was one of the few family papers to survive a fire in 1645.

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It was removed from display earlier this year after it started to fade due to environmental factors - particularly light and humidity.

National Trust for Scotland want protect and share Brodie Castle's letter from Scottish freedom fighter, Robert the Bruce.National Trust for Scotland want protect and share Brodie Castle's letter from Scottish freedom fighter, Robert the Bruce.
National Trust for Scotland want protect and share Brodie Castle's letter from Scottish freedom fighter, Robert the Bruce.

Experts at the National Trust for Scotland have removed damaging traces of adhesive and added a new mount so if the crowdfunding target is reached the letter can go back on display without further harm.

James Dean, operations manager at the castle, said: "Few documents from this time survive intact and are still legible so we are very fortunate and honoured to care for this special piece of our past, especially as it was written by such an important figure in Scotland's history.

"By reaching our target for this appeal we'll be able to protect the letter and present it in a way that means more people will be able to appreciate it for years to come - and there's no better day to call on people for their support for this campaign than on Scotland's national day.

"The cutting-edge technology of the cabinet makes the letter more accessible and interactive, showing illustrations, photography and videos to visitors.

"It will also translate the letter into multiple language and explain its historical context."

The crowdfunder can be found on the JustGiving website.