The 1395 family’s parchment

Not every day you get on your hands a parchment from 1395. It is very fortunate to preserve it, and even more so when it is a document with so much meaning for the family. In this case, we are talking about the oldest document we have preserved, which records the acquisition of the Mas de la Torrevella (today Can Martí estate), together with its fields, vineyards, lands and forests, by our ancestor Jaume Miquel. In other words, we have the first document of “sale and purchase” of the first Torelló’s family farmhouse.

You can imagine what it costs to keep it in good condition, and we are not talking about the economic cost, but about the specific care it needs, as it is well known that “time passes unperturbed for everyone” causing its effects on everything that surrounds it.

A picture of the Can Martí parchment

A few weeks ago, we took it to be restored for its better conservation. This type of work is always carried out by professionals specialised in the conservation and restoration of works of art. The work carried out on this ancient parchment included wet and dry cleaning, moisturising, smoothing, placing threads to tighten it and hold it correctly and framing it with uv filter glass, among others. Delicate and meticulous work that once again gives life and “youth” to our heirloom, so dear for the family.

Now the parchment shines again as it deserves and we can breathe easy again, at the same time as we continue to comply with our ancestor’s instructions, who in 1395 promised to make this farmhouse his home. And here we continue.