Runnymede is the Thames-side meadow where King John sealed Magna Carta on 15 June 1215, often called the birthplace of modern democracy. The National Trust cares for the meadows, Cooper's Hill Woods and Langham Pond, with the Magna Carta Memorial raised by the American Bar Association, the John F. Kennedy Memorial on an acre given to the United States, and two artworks made for the 800th anniversary: Hew Locke's The Jurors, twelve bronze chairs, and Mark Wallinger's Writ in Water, a circular chamber for reflection. Across the river at Ankerwycke are priory ruins and a yew thought to be 2,500 years old, the Trust's oldest tree. Reviewers value the riverside walks, the interpretation boards and the small tea-room with toilets behind it, where dogs are welcome. Entry is free but non-members pay to park; the Memorials car park is small, and the meadow paths can flood in winter.
