A MEDIAEVAL document detailing the start of an investigation into a bitter land dispute between church leaders has returned to Worcestershire.

The papal bull, dated 1466, was donated to Worcestershire County Council's Record Office after it had spent several years in Southampton.

The large parchment document is written in Latin and it still has the lead seal, or bulla, attached to it which gives the document its name.

The 15th Century record reveals that in the early 1400s, the then Bishop of Worcester granted land in the village of Throckmorton to John de Throckmorton.

However, the next Bishop was unhappy about the deal and triggered the dispute which eventually involved the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope.

An investigation was then set up for local church leaders to look into the argument.

Robin Whittaker, archives manager for Worcestershire County Council, said: "We are delighted to be able to add such a good example of this sort of document to our collections.

"It's interesting because it throws a little bit of light on what was going on in the area at that time."

The document can be viewed in the search rooms at County Hall. For more information, call 01905 766351 or email recordoffice@worcestershire.gov.uk