The Noble House of Brattleby presents
The Brattleby Collections
Nine centuries of vellum, parchment and pixel — the assembled memory of a House that has not blinked since 1066.
Under the patronage of Lady Nicoleta Vasile, The 12th Baroness of Brattleby, Mihai-Alexandru Crăciun, The 13th Baron of Brattleby and Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile (by marriage)
Fortitudine et Honore
Heritage Archive
Collections & Archives
Eight curated collections spanning nine centuries — from the Domesday Book entry of 1086 to the daily Court Circular of the modern House. Together they constitute one of the most complete privately-held noble archives in England.
The Architecture of Memory
An archive is not a warehouse. An archive is a deliberate act of memory — a refusal to let nine hundred years of decisions, dinners, defences, marriages, harvests and heraldic adjustments dissolve into anecdote. The Brattleby Collections were assembled, and continue to grow, because the Twelfth Baroness believes that a House without a documented memory is, sooner or later, a House that forgets why it exists.
Each collection on this page is real. Each is catalogued to international archival standards (ISAD(G), with internal cross-referencing to the Society of Archivists guidelines). Each item is photographed at 600 dpi minimum, and the high-resolution scans of out-of-copyright material are released to the public domain through the Brattleby online portal. Where original documents remain in private trust, the catalogue summary is published; the original is consultable by appointment.
The collections are curated by the office of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile (by marriage), with specialist conservators retained for vellum, paper, photographic, and digital materials. The eight collections below represent the principal divisions of the House's holdings; sub-collections, working files, and ephemera are recorded in the master finding aid.
The collections below carry no photographs. Each is introduced by a code-generated typographic plate: decorative ornament only, not a depiction of the archives, documents, buildings or property of The Noble House of Brattleby.
Collection 01
The Feudal Archive (1086–1485)
The foundational archive of the Barony of Brattleby. Comprises a transcribed Domesday Book entry under the holding of Colswein of Lincoln (1086), royal writs from the Plantagenet chancery, the 1217 records of the Battle of Lincoln in which Nichola de la Haye — the Fifth Baron of Brattleby — held Lincoln Castle for the crown, and the genealogical line through the early holders of the title. The collection is held in acid-free archival housing and reproduced in full on the public-access portal.
Collection 02
The Nichola de la Haye Collection
A specialist sub-archive devoted to Dame Nichola de la Haye, the Fifth Baron of Brattleby and one of medieval England's most extraordinary women. She held Lincoln Castle through a months-long siege in 1217, was confirmed as Sheriff of Lincolnshire in her own right, and was named in royal charters as Castellan. The collection includes contemporary chroniclers' references, modern scholarly editions, the 2017 Lincoln Castle reconstructions, and a programme of Brattleby-commissioned essays.
Collection 03
Heraldic Heritage
The complete heraldic record of the House of Brattleby — the House of Brattleby armorial composition, the painted shield, the embroidered banner, the helm and mantling, and the motto Fortitudine et Honore (With Fortitude and Honour). The collection traces the evolution of the arms across nine centuries, including the cadency marks of the cadet branches and the impalement quarterings of the Lady Nicoleta Vasile, Twelfth Baroness of Brattleby.
Collection 04
The Modern Revival Archive (2019–)
Documents the 2019 succession of Lady Nicoleta Vasile to the Barony — the formal Gazette notice, the international press coverage, the Club founding documents, the early member registers, and the legal and ceremonial framework established with Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile (by marriage) and Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun. The archive grows daily with each engagement of the modern House.
Collection 05
International Press Collection
An extensive collection of international media coverage. Includes original tear-sheets and high-resolution scans of features in Monaco Voice, The Business Influencer, ELLE Romania, VIVA! Romania, Antena 3 CNN, B1 TV, Click!, Libertatea, Romania TV, and Getty Images editorial archives covering the Winter Banquet at the Royal Horseguards Hotel. Each item is catalogued by date, outlet, and named subject — Lady Nicoleta Vasile, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile (by marriage), Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun.
Collection 06
Event Archive
Photographic and documentary records of every major event hosted by The Noble House of Brattleby Club: The Winter Banquet at the Royal Horseguards Hotel, London; The Noble Tea at the Corinthia Grand Hotel, Bucharest; Monte Carlo private receptions; and members-only chamber dinners. Each event is captured by accredited press photographers and archived under the supervision of the Club Secretary.
Collection 07
The Library of the House
The reference library of the Barony — Burke's Peerage and Burke's Landed Gentry runs, Debrett's Correct Form, the Domesday Book editions, Lincolnshire county histories, the standard works of English heraldry, and the working library of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile (by marriage). The library is open to bona fide scholars by appointment and provides the source material for the Brattleby Glossary, Almanac, and Forms of Address pages.
Collection 08
Speeches & Court Circular
Every recorded address delivered by a member of the House — banquet speeches, lectures, press statements, and ceremonial declarations — is transcribed, dated, and added to the Speeches Archive. In parallel, the Court Circular records the daily public engagements of Lady Nicoleta, Lord Răzvan, and Baron Mihai in the tradition of the British royal household.
Four Tiers of Access
The Brattleby archives are open. The Twelfth Baroness has set the access policy explicitly to favour scholarship, journalism and education over private hoarding.
Access Tier
Public Online
All catalogue records, summaries, and press collection scans are free to view via the website.
Access Tier
Researcher Access
Full document images, transcripts, and archival metadata are available to bona fide academic researchers on application.
Access Tier
By Appointment
Original documents may be consulted in person at the estate, with white gloves provided, under supervision of the Archivist.
Access Tier
Loan & Exhibition
Selected pieces tour to partner institutions including Lincoln Cathedral and the Lincolnshire Archives. Loan requests handled by the Director of Heritage.
Request Researcher Access
Bona fide scholars, journalists and graduate students are warmly received. A short application — research subject, institutional affiliation, intended use — is sufficient.
Apply to the ArchivistPublished by the House
The Library of the House holds the reference works. The volumes written and published by the House are offered separately.
From the Press & Communications Office
Nicoleta Vasile
Lady Nicoleta Vasile
12th Baroness of Brattleby
Patroness
Răzvan Vasile
Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile (by marriage)
Lord of Brattleby
Patron & Custodian
Mihai A. Crăciun
Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun
13th Baron of Brattleby
Head of House
Issued by
The Archive & Muniment Room of the House of Brattleby
The Noble House of Brattleby · London · United Kingdom
Dated this 26 September 2026.
The House of Brattleby is a private cultural and heritage initiative. This page is editorial in nature and is not an official governmental, royal, or ecclesiastical document.
Fortitudine et Honore