A fragile 13th century manuscript fragment, hidden in plain sight as the binding of a 16th-century archival register, has been discovered in Cambridge and revealed to contain rare medieval stories of Merlin and King Arthur.

The manuscript, first discovered at Cambridge University Library in 2019, has now been identified as part of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin, a French-language sequel to the legend of King Arthur. The story was part of the Lancelot-Grail cycle, a medieval best seller but few now remain.

There are less than 40 surviving manuscripts of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin, with each one unique since they were individually handwritten by medieval scribes. This latest discovery has been identified as having been written between 1275 and 1315.

The manuscript had survived the centuries after being recycled and repurposed in the 1500s as the cover for a property record from Huntingfield Manor in Suffolk, owned by the Vanneck family of Heveningham. 

It meant the remarkable discovery was folded, torn, and even stitched into the binding of the book – making it almost impossible for Cambridge experts to access it, read it, or confirm its origins.

What followed the discovery has been a ground-breaking collaborative project, showcasing the work of the University Library’s Cultural Heritage Imaging Laboratory (CHIL) and combining historical scholarship with cutting-edge digital techniques, to unlock the manuscript’s long-held secrets – without damaging the unique document. 

Dr Irène Fabry-Tehranchi, French Specialist in Collections and Academic Liaison at Cambridge University Library, was among those who first recognized the importance of the find. 

“It was first thought to be a 14th century story about Sir Gawain but further examination revealed it to be part of the Old French Vulgate Merlin sequel, a different and extremely significant Arthurian text.”

As every manuscript of the period was copied by hand, it means each one is distinctive and reflects the variations introduced by medieval scribes.

This one is believed to belong to the short version of the Vulgate Merlin, and small errors—such as the mistaken use of the name “Dorilas” instead of “Dodalis”— will help Dr Fabry-Tehranchi and her colleague Nathalie Koble (ENS Paris), to trace its lineage among surviving manuscripts.

The way the manuscript has been carefully executed, with decorated initials in red and blue, gave further clues to its origins and helped indicate that it was produced between the end of the 13th and the beginning of the 14th century.

The text is written in Old French, the language of the court and aristocracy in medieval England following the Norman Conquest and this particular fragment belongs to the genre of Arthurian romances which were intended for a noble audience, including women.

The fragment tells two key episodes from the end of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin. The first part recounts the victory of the Christians against the Saxons at the Battle of Cambénic. It tells of the fight of Gauvain (with his sword Excalibur, his horse Gringalet and his supernatural powers), his brothers, and his father King Loth, against the Saxon Kings Dodalis, Moydas, Oriancés, and Brandalus.

The second passage presents a more courtly scene, set on the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, with Merlin appearing at Arthur’s court disguised as a harpist—a moment that highlights his magical abilities and his importance as an advisor to the king.

“While they were rejoicing in the feast, and Kay the seneschal brought the first dish to King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, there arrived the most handsome man ever seen in Christian lands. He was wearing a silk tunic girded by a silk harness woven with gold and precious stones which glittered with such brightness that it illuminated the whole room.”

A translation from the Suite Vulgate du Merlin manuscript found at Cambridge University Library

The discovery set off an extensive conservation and research project, supported by the University Library with funding from Cambridge Digital Humanities. 

The fragment’s condition posed a significant challenge. It was fragile, with tears and folds that made it difficult to handle. Traditional methods of conservation might have involved physically removing the binding to unfold the fragment, but this risked causing irreparable damage.

Instead, the team decided to preserve the fragment in situ, keeping it as an example of 16th-century archival binding practices while using cutting-edge technology to virtually unfold and digitise it.

“It’s not just about the text itself, but also about the material artefact. The way it was reused tells us about archival practices in 16th-century England. It’s a piece of history in its own right.”Dr. Fabry-Tehranchi explaining the importance of preserving the fragment in its original state

A multidisciplinary team comprising curators, conservators, and imaging specialists from across the University of Cambridge, including departments such as Archives and Modern Manuscripts, Conservation & Heritage, and Collections and Academic Liaison, all worked together with CHIL to analyse and digitise the fragment.

The methods undertaken by Amélie Deblauwe, Błażej Mikuła and Maciej Pawlikowski from CHIL, with the support of Jennifer Murray from the Library’s Conservation Department, allowed them to unfold the fragment virtually and access hidden parts of the text.

To achieve this, the team undertook:

Multispectral Imaging (MSI)

This technique used in CHIL involved capturing the fragment in various wavelengths of light, from ultraviolet to infrared.

The high-resolution images produced by MSI allowed the team to enhance the readability of the text. Images processed using geospatial software revealed details that were invisible to the naked eye.

The fragment had been heavily rubbed and worn from its use as a cover, but MSI helped to bring out the text and highlighted annotations in the margins.

Computed Tomography (CT) scanning

Conducted with equipment and expertise from the University’s Zoology department, the team used a powerful X-ray scanner—typically used for scanning fossils or skeletons—to virtually penetrate the layers of parchment and uncover hidden structures in the binding.

It provided a 3D model of the fragment and its binding and allows researchers to examine the structure of the binding without physically dismantling it. The scan revealed how the fragment had been stitched into the cover, providing insights into 16th-century archival binding techniques.

A CT scanner relies on the difference in density of the material. In this case both materials were the same density. The pages were stitched using thin strips of the same or similar parchment. The team spotted enough gap between the pages and the stitching to record that separation.

3D modelling

Industrial scanning techniques created highly detailed virtual models of the fragment, allowing researchers to study its creases, stitching, and folds in remarkable detail.

Virtual unfolding

The fragment’s text was not in a straightforward sequence; parts of it were hidden under folds or stitched into the binding.

Using mirrors, prisms, magnets, and other tools, the team at CHIL carefully photographed each section of the fragment. The hundreds of resulting images were then painstakingly reassembled digitally, much like a jigsaw, to create a coherent image of the text.

By manipulating the digital images, the team could simulate what the document might look like if it were physically opened.

Maciej M Pawlikowsk, Head of The Cultural Heritage Imaging Laboratory (CHIL) at Cambridge University Library said:

“This project was a fabulous opportunity to employ all possible advanced imaging techniques from our photographic arsenal. And each of them brought something very important to light. This resulted in the creation of a set of unique digital objects which placed the original fragment in a whole new context and has transformed our understanding of it.”

Dr. Fabry-Tehranchi described the process as “like solving a puzzle.” “If this had been done 30 years ago, the fragment might have been cut, unfolded, and flattened. But today, preserving it in situ gives us a crucial insight into 16th-century archival practices, as well as access to the medieval story itself.”

A model for the future

Beyond revealing the fragment’s story of Merlin, this project has established a new benchmark for the conservation and digitisation of medieval fragments.

“This project was not just about unlocking one text—it was about developing a methodology that can be used for other manuscripts. Libraries and archives around the world face similar challenges with fragile fragments embedded in bindings, and our approach provides a model for non-invasive access and study.”

The discovery has already sparked interest among researchers and conservators, including those at the UK’s National Archives, who are keen to explore how these techniques might be applied to their own collections.

The team hopes the project will inspire further research into medieval manuscripts hidden in unexpected places.

The story of King Arthur and Merlin has been told and retold for centuries, but thanks to modern technology, we are still uncovering new chapters.