Stratford acquires its original deed, from 1769

The town of Stratford has just acquired a document that paints a picture of what the area was like almost 250 years ago, a deed dating back to the 1700's.

It's the original deed for Lot 48 on the Island, where the town now sits.

The yellowing document is 73x 63 cm, and is made of sheep skin, or vellum.

It's giving the town a glimpse into the earliest days of its establishment, just after the Island was divided up by Samuel Holland, the first Surveyor-General of British North America.

"It helps us piece together some of our history going forward using other maps, Samuel Holland maps and other maps," said Stratford's mayor, David Dunphy. "And it gives us a better understanding of how we got to where we are today."

The lot also includes the areas ofKeppoch, Tea Hill, Bunbury,and Mermaid.

Island was part of Nova Scotia

It is the original land grant from the British Crown issued on June 29, 1769 when St. John's Island, as it was then known, was still part of Nova Scotia.

It was written on vellum by Lord William Campbell, Governor of Nova Scotia.

It grants ownership of Lot 48, 23,600 acres, to Samuel Touchett, a British merchant and Member of Parliament, and James Cunningham, a British military officer.

Aubrey Bell, co-owner of Gallery 18 in New London helped the town obtain the rare piece of history.

"This is where, at least as far as English settlement is concerned, this is where it all began," said Bell. "And there's really only the one copy. There's only one copy and so now Stratford has the only copy for Lot 48."

The deed cost the town $2,800. It will have the document professionally flattened so it can be stored safely.

There are plans to make a replica for display along with a digital copy so it can be shared online.