A TOWN’S 400-year-old Royal Charter has gone on permanent public display for the first time.

Harwich Town Council has had a high-quality digital copy of the town’s historic 1604 Royal Charter created and hung at the Guildhall in Church Street.

The 1604 charter, granted by King James I, established the position of mayor and the council along with two MPs for the vital trading and naval port of Harwich.

The original document is still preserved in the archive suite within the Guildhall building.

A slight parting between its layers of parchment was discovered last year and it was sent to be repaired by the conservation experts at the Essex Records Office in Chelmsford.

The council took the opportunity at the same time to have the charter digitally copied using the Essex Records Office’s hi-tech equipment.

A copy has now been framed and placed on the wall within the Guildhall’s stairwell so it can be viewed by anyone visiting the Grade 1 listed building.

Chairman of the council’s finance and general purposes committee, cllr Pam Morrison, said: “There are occasions when we are able to put the original 1604 Royal Charter on public display, but these are infrequent.

“We wanted people to be able to see the document that is so important to Harwich’s history and took this opportunity to have it copied.

“Everyone who has seen it is very impressed and we are extremely pleased with the new display.”

The copying, printing and framing cost £468, which Mrs Morrison said is money well spent.

She added: “The original 1604 charter has been with us for over 400 years and is still in wonderful condition.

“I don’t expect the digital copy to last that long, but it will enable visitors to the Guildhall to see the charter for many decades to come, which is very good value for money.”