Each month Cornwall’s Regimental Museum in Bodmin, which tells the story of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, shines a spotlight onto one of the more unusual objects they have on display.

This month they are delving deep into the past, with one of the oldest objects in their collection.

The Masonic Bible is also known as ‘The Washington Bible’.

An unimposing object, it is often overlooked by visitors who see no immediate indication of its intriguing and tumultuous past.

Since its manufacture in London in 1712, the bible has been at the centre of intrigue: it has been lost and found, captured by enemy forces and returned under truce.

The story begins with the 46th Regiment of Foot, an antecedent regiment of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry.

In 1778, during the American War of Independence, the 46th Regiment of Foot were conducting an amphibious attack on the town of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

The Bible was rescued from the burning house of Benjamin West, and remained with the regiment until their baggage train was lost.

The Bible was returned to the regiment by the Americans under a flag of truce at the end of the war, and travelled the world with the 46th Regiment until 1805, when it was captured by the French in Dominica.

Incredibly, another truce was called and the Bible was once again returned to the regiment.

If the history of this book was not already colourful enough, the possible connection to George Washington (1732-1799) adds another layer of intrigue.

It is claimed that the Bible was used in a Masonic ceremony by Washington when he swore his ‘Oath of Obligation’ before signing the flysheet as an ‘apprentice Mason’.

However, in 1907 the Bible was being returned to its mahogany case after being displayed to guests of the Second Battalion of The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, when it was declared that the flyleaf bearing the signature had been torn out.

Visitors can judge for themselves whether the Bible was once in the hands of the first President of The United States. However there is no doubt this fragile book has seen adventure in many corners of the earth during its 305 years in existence.

The Washington Bible is on display in the first-floor gallery, and can be viewed during the museum’s usual opening hours, daily from 10am to 5pm (last entry at 4.30pm).