A 'vanishingly rare' copy of the United States Declaration of Independence has been discovered in archives in the United Kingdom, marking the first such find outside the United States. The document, printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, in mid-July 1776, is the 11th surviving copy of what historians call the 'Exeter Declarations'.
Discovery in British Archives
The copy was unearthed in a file at the Chipping Sodbury Town Council archives in South Gloucestershire, England. According to the University of Oxford's Bodleian Library, which announced the discovery, the document was likely sent to the town council as a historical keepsake or for exhibition purposes shortly after the American Revolution.
Dr. Emily Norton, a historian at the Bodleian, described the find as 'vanishingly rare' and 'unprecedented,' noting that only 10 other copies of the Exeter Declaration are known to exist, all held in US institutions such as the Library of Congress and state archives in New Hampshire.
Details of the Exeter Declaration
The Exeter Declaration is a distinct printing of the Declaration of Independence, ordered by the New Hampshire Provincial Congress and printed by Robert Luist Fowle in Exeter. It differs slightly from the more widely known John Dunlap broadside, including typographical variations and a different arrangement of text. The newly found copy includes the names of all 56 signers, though the signatures are printed rather than handwritten.
The document measures approximately 20 by 25 inches and is in 'remarkably good condition,' according to conservators at the Bodleian. It was found folded in a leather-bound volume of miscellaneous 18th-century papers, where it had remained unnoticed for centuries.
Historical Significance and Provenance
The discovery provides a tangible link to the spread of revolutionary ideas across the Atlantic. 'This copy likely arrived in Britain shortly after the Declaration was adopted, possibly as a gift or diplomatic communication,' said Dr. Norton. 'Its survival in a local archive is astonishing.'
The Chipping Sodbury Town Council had received the volume as part of a bequest in the 19th century, but its significance was not recognized until a volunteer archivist noticed the document during a cataloging project. 'I was stunned,' said volunteer archivist Margaret Haskins. 'I knew immediately it was something special.'
Conservation and Future Display
The Bodleian Library plans to conserve the document and put it on public display later this year, alongside other rare Americana. The discovery has been hailed by US historians as a 'major find' that could shed light on the international dissemination of the Declaration.
Professor James McPherson, a historian at Princeton University, commented: 'Every new copy of the Declaration is significant, but one found in the UK opens a new window into how the American Revolution was perceived abroad.'
The copy will be exhibited at the Bodleian from October 2026, after which discussions will take place regarding its long-term home. The US Embassy in London has expressed interest in acquiring the document, but the Bodleian has stated that it will remain in the UK under current ownership.
