Rare 1776 copy of US Declaration of Independence found in British archives

A rare printed copy of the United States Declaration of Independence has been discovered in Britain's National Archives.

A rare printed copy of the United States Declaration of Independence has been discovered in Britain’s National Archives, offering historians an extraordinary glimpse into the early days of the American Revolution. The document was uncovered during a cataloguing project and is believed to be one of only eleven surviving copies of a special edition printed in 1776.

The historic find comes as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its independence. For decades, the document had been incorrectly listed in archive records as simply “another document.” It remained unnoticed until volunteer researcher Michael Scurr examined it more closely in May while helping organise historical records.

Scurr described the discovery as an unforgettable experience, saying it was exciting to uncover such an important piece of history during a landmark year for the United States. Historians later confirmed that the document is an original Exeter Declaration, a version printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the weeks following the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

The newly identified document is especially significant because it is the first surviving Exeter Declaration ever found outside the United States. Until now, all known copies had remained in America, making this discovery unique in the history of the country’s founding documents.

Experts believe the copy was carried aboard the American ship Dalton by its captain, Eleazer Johnson. Before sailing across the Atlantic later in 1776, Johnson is thought to have obtained the declaration as a symbol of the new nation’s ideals. Historians believe the document may have been intended to inspire the ship’s crew as they prepared to target British vessels during the Revolutionary War.

The journey of the document took an unexpected turn on December 24, 1776, when the British Royal Navy captured the Dalton off the coast of Portugal. The ship and everything on board were taken to Plymouth in southwest England. As a result, the declaration became part of official British records and remained preserved in government archives for nearly two and a half centuries.

According to the National Archives, this is the only known copy of the Declaration of Independence that was captured through military action during the Revolutionary War. The document survived because British law required naval officers to submit all papers recovered from captured ships before they could claim prize money. That legal process ensured that valuable historical records were carefully stored rather than discarded.

During the American Revolutionary War, British forces captured around 3,600 ships. Each seizure produced official paperwork, creating a vast collection of records that historians continue to study today. Archivists say these documents provide detailed insight into naval warfare, trade, and daily life during one of the most important conflicts in modern history.

Graham Moore, a curator at the National Archives, said the discovery offers far more than a rare copy of the declaration itself. Because the document remained within official British records, researchers have been able to trace its complete journey from its printing in New Hampshire to its capture at sea and eventual preservation in London. He noted that very few surviving copies of the Declaration of Independence have such a well documented history.

The remarkable discovery highlights how important historical documents can remain hidden for centuries, even in well known archives. It also serves as a reminder that valuable pieces of history are still waiting to be uncovered, providing fresh insights into events that shaped the modern world more than two hundred years ago.