Description:Amongst the Sutherland Papers are a number of letters written by the famous antiquarian William Dugdale. The letters are addressed to Sir Richard Leveson and John Langley who was Sir Richard’s Steward.
William Dugdale (1605-1686) was born in Warwickshire and retained strong links with the County throughout his life. His antiquarian interests in the history of Warwickshire led him into serving as a Herald in the Office of Arms and introduced him to researching the monastic history of England. Before the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642 he recorded the monuments and coats of arms in the larger churches and Cathedrals in London, the Midlands and the North. He also spent time studying monastic charters and deeds from before the Reformation. Amongst other works, he published the Antiquities of Warwickshire in 1656.
Many of Dugdale’s letters to both Leveson and Langley refer to his antiquarian work. The letters also include details about national and international political events, providing a contemporary view of life during the 1650s.
To learn more about William Dugdale's letters, click on the images on the left.
Contextual Informations from Graham Parry, ‘Dugdale, Sir William (1605–1686)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/8186, accessed 18 Oct 2007]