THE Constitution of the United States of America (which is modelled on the Magna Carta) once occupied no more than six pages of text when it was first written in 1787.

It has, of course, since been expanded and is now available, should any reader of this newspaper be interested, in a Pocket Constitution containing the Bill of Rights, various amendments and The Declaration of Independence, and all contained within a 48-page booklet.

Readers might also be interested to note that The Forest of Dean District Council works to a framework defined by its own Constitution (updated October 2011) and whose 372 pages are now available for viewing on its website.

– John Muir, Newnham.