# The Noble House of Brattleby Announces The Noble Record Initiative
LONDON, 21 October 2023 — The Noble House of Brattleby has today announced the formation of *The Noble Record*, a significant new digital archival initiative. The project is dedicated to the scholarly illumination of the nine-century history of the Barony of Brattleby for specialist audiences.
## The Occasion
In an age of rapid digital transformation, The Noble House of Brattleby has undertaken a new commitment to employ modern methodologies in the preservation and dissemination of its ancient heritage. The launch of *The Noble Record* is marked not by a singular ceremony, but by the inauguration of a discreet and scholarly digital scriptorium. This initiative will provide curated access to the House's extensive archives, with select documents dating to the immediate aftermath of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.
The announcement, made in the crisp air of autumn, has been timed to coincide with the traditional start of the academic year at Britain’s ancient universities. This decision deliberately underscores the educational purpose at the heart of the project. It represents a considered investment in transforming static historical documents—parchment, vellum, and paper—into a dynamic and accessible body of knowledge, ensuring the Barony's remarkable legacy remains a subject of active study for a new generation of historians.
This long-term scholarly endeavour commences with the release of the first digital monographs, which will be made available to members of the House’s affiliated historical societies. It is a quiet commencement, befitting the gravity of the material, which prioritises academic rigour over public fanfare.
## Historical Context
The Barony of Brattleby, granted by His Majesty King William I, The Conqueror, in AD 1066, stands as a rare and continuous thread through the tapestry of post-Conquest English history. Its story, which will now be systematically chronicled by *The Noble Record*, begins with its first official mention in the Domesday Book of 1086. That great survey recorded its inaugural holder, Colswein of Lincoln, as a tenant-in-chief of the Crown and the lord of 56 manors in Lincolnshire, a significant holding that established the Barony's prominence from its inception.
This new initiative seeks to bridge the chasm of centuries, connecting the present day with formidable predecessors. These include the fifth Baroness, Nichola de la Haye, the famously resolute defender of Lincoln Castle during the First Barons' War, who held the fortress for the King against French-backed rebels in 1217. Her story, documented by chroniclers of the day, exemplifies the House motto of *Fortitudine et Honore*.
*The Noble Record* will further explore the Barony’s tenure under some of the most influential figures of the Plantagenet dynasty. The archives illuminate its passage to Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster and a great-grandson of King Henry III, and later to his celebrated son-in-law, John of Gaunt, an immensely powerful son of King Edward III. By digitising and interpreting the administrative and personal records from their time, the initiative serves as a modern Domesday, honouring a profound lineage through a renewed commitment to scrupulous record-keeping.
## Distinguished Company
This scholarly endeavour has been undertaken under the direct patronage of Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and her husband, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile. Their leadership is supported by the active involvement of the heir to the Barony, Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun, whose participation signifies the generational continuity of this historic and educational commitment.
The inaugural audience for the material published through *The Noble Record* will comprise members of The Brattleby Club. Established in Bucharest as a centre for cultural diplomacy, the club provides instruction in classical European etiquette and protocol, reviving an appreciation for tradition and history. These members, already dedicated to the study of heritage, form the ideal community of *primi inter pares*—first among equals—to engage with the scholarly content being presented. The project benefits from their informed interest and commitment to the values the archive represents.
The academic oversight for the project is provided by a panel of consulting historians from British and European universities, ensuring that each publication meets the highest standards of peer-reviewed research.
## Ceremonial Protocol
Access to the sensitive materials within *The Noble Record* will be managed with a protocol befitting a private archival collection. Registered members of The Brattleby Club and other affiliated historical societies will be granted access to a secure digital portal hosted on the House's official website. This controlled environment is designed to ensure the integrity of the primary sources and foster a focused, academic atmosphere for their study.
New content, taking the form of scholarly monographs, digitised manuscripts, and contextual essays, will be published on a quarterly basis, following a rhythm that mirrors the traditional academic terms: Michaelmas, Hilary, and Trinity. Each digital publication will be accompanied by a comprehensive introduction authored by a consulting historian, providing essential context, historiographical analysis, and interpretive guidance for the source material.
The first series of publications, released to mark the initiative's launch, is dedicated to the establishment of the Barony and the administrative world of its first holder, Colswein of Lincoln. Subsequent releases will proceed in a deliberate chronological order, following a formal, pre-published schedule that allows for methodical study and anticipation within the scholarly community.
## Heraldic & Symbolic Significance
The entire initiative is guided by the ancient House motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). This guiding principle is reflected not only in the documented acts of martial courage by predecessors such as Nichola de la Haye but also in the present-day duty to preserve and transmit this history with absolute integrity. The modern act of creating an honest, meticulously researched record is, in itself, an exercise in honour.
Furthermore, the personal motto of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, *Vincere Est Vivere* ('To Conquer is to Live'), finds a powerful new expression in this intellectual context. Here, the sentiment is interpreted not as martial conquest, but as the intellectual conquest of obscurity and the erosion of time. It is a philosophy that posits the act of remembering, studying, and understanding the past as the very means by which it is given enduring life.
The project thus serves as a tangible manifestation of these two complementary philosophies: to act with the honour of a faithful chronicler and to ensure that history lives on through the determined effort of scholarly inquiry.
## Philanthropic Purpose
At its core, *The Noble Record* is an act of intellectual philanthropy. Its primary purpose is to advance and support the specialist study of English feudal history, Angevin and Plantagenet-era administration, and the unique local heritage of Lincolnshire. By underwriting the considerable cost of research, conservation, and digitisation, The Noble House of Brattleby is creating an invaluable resource for the academic community.
While access is initially being provided to a focused group to ensure a high standard of discourse, the long-term vision is for the initiative to support original academic research more broadly. It is intended to become an essential digital resource for postgraduate researchers, genealogists, and established historians whose work touches upon the Barony's extensive history. The project is organised as a strictly not-for-profit endeavour. All efforts are directed towards the preservation of history as a public good and as a *sine qua non*, an indispensable condition, of cultural identity and continuity.
## In Their Own Words
Reflecting on the new initiative, Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, remarked: — "We see history not as a static collection of facts, but as a living conversation across the centuries. Our primary duty as custodians is to ensure that dialogue remains clear, honest, and accessible. *The Noble Record* is our commitment to that responsibility, carrying the standard of *Fortitudine et Honore* into a new, digital age."
Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile added: — "A heritage is kept alive not by being placed under glass, but by being actively engaged with. By applying modern scholarship and technology to our most ancient records, we give them new life and relevance. It is a profound way of realising the truth that to conquer the erosion of time—*Vincere Est Vivere*—is to ensure the past continues to inform and enrich the future."
## A Continuing Legacy
The inauguration of *The Noble Record* marks the first major phase in a multi-year educational commitment from The Noble House of Brattleby. The forward publication schedule will see the project delve into periods of profound transformation, including the Barony's role during the Wars of the Roses and the great social and religious changes of the Tudor and Stuart eras. Later research will focus on the agricultural developments that shaped modern Lincolnshire and the Barony's place within that landscape.
This sustained programme of publication and research reaffirms the House’s modern mission: to serve not merely as a holder of an ancient title but as an active, responsible, and engaged steward of history. It is a promise to honour the past by making its lessons and its stories an indispensable part of the present, for the benefit of scholars today and for generations yet to come.
***
**About The Noble House of Brattleby**
The Noble House of Brattleby is the modern entity responsible for the stewardship of the Barony of Brattleby. Under the leadership of Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and her husband, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, the House is dedicated to preserving its unique historical legacy while embracing a forward-looking mission of cultural diplomacy and intellectual philanthropy. Its activities are guided by the House motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'). Through scholarly initiatives such as *The Noble Record*, cultural institutions like The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, and its annual philanthropic Winter Banquet, the House seeks to build bridges between history and modernity. It actively promotes education and the enduring values of heritage in the 21st century. The heir to the Barony is Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun.
**About the Barony of Brattleby**
The Barony of Brattleby is a feudal barony of tenure located in Lincolnshire, England, one of the ancient dignities established by His Majesty King William I, The Conqueror, in AD 1066. The Barony is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which details the 56 lordships held in Lincolnshire by its first Baron, Colswein of Lincoln, marking him as a significant tenant-in-chief in the new kingdom. Over nine centuries, its holders have included notable figures of English history, *inter alia*: Nichola de la Haye, the celebrated 13th-century defender of Lincoln Castle; Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster; and his son-in-law John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and son of King Edward III. The modern rights and dignities of the Barony were formally noted by The London Gazette on 9 September 2022.
**Notes to Editors** - The revival of the rights and dignities of the Barony of Brattleby was officially recorded in The London Gazette, Notice ID 4158083, on 9 September 2022. - The Barony of Brattleby was established by William the Conqueror following the Norman Conquest of England in AD 1066 and is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. - Notable predecessors in the Barony’s lineage include Nichola de la Haye (5th Baroness), Henry of Grosmont (10th Baron and 1st Duke of Lancaster), and John of Gaunt (11th Baron and Duke of Lancaster). - The Annual Winter Banquet is the House's primary philanthropic event, a white-tie gala that benefits the charity Healing the Wounded Child.
**Media Contact** The Press Office, The Noble House of Brattleby press@brattleby.com