New Winchelsea (Wynchelse) was given a grant of murage dated 5/6/1415.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Whereas the mayor and commonalty of the town of Wynchelse hold the town of the king for a fee farm of 14l. 11s. 5 d., and the site of the town is so large that all dwelling in it would not suffice for its defence if it were assaulted without help from adjoining parts and therefore they propose with the king's licence to enclose it with a wall of stone and lime and a ditch by a lesser circuit on the king's waste land in the same and the holdings of others of the town which are held of the king as parcel of the said farm and to crenellate, entower and embattle the wall, and this will not be to the king's loss except for those holdings, from which 5s. 21/2d. used to be levied as parcel of the farm ; the king, liking such places to be strengthened and considering that the town is on the sea coast and the frontier of the king's enemies and as it were a key of those parts, grants licence for them thus to enclose it, rendering the whole ancient fee-farm of 14l. 11s. 5 d. yearly at the Exchequer, provided that they satisfy all the king's lieges on whose holdings the wall and ditch are made. By K.
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Maior et Communitas … villam de Wynchelse … firmare, kernellare, turellare et batellare {they may enclose, crenellate, entower, and embattle, the said wall, and may enclose with the said foss, the said town so fortified, entowered, crenellated, and embattled, we are earnestly desirous that those places which are adapted for fortification should be made strong for the security and defence of the people subject to us, and for the terror and repulse of our enemies, and is to all and singular our lieges, and our friends passing at sea by there, as it were, the key, refuge and guard of those parts against the tempestuousness of the sea, and the insults of our said enemies…} (Parker's transcription/translation)
Granted by Henry V. (Regnal year 3). Granted at Westminster. Granted by K..
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1910,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry V (1413-16) Vol. 1 p. 368-9
online copy
Secondary Sources
Coulson, Charles, 2009,
Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
King, D.J.C., 1983,
Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 479n67
Turner, H.L., 1971,
Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 43,177
Blaauw, William Henry, 1861, ' Royal Licenses to Fortify Towns and Houses in Sussex'
Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol. 13 p. 116
online copyTurner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859,
Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 pt 2 p. 421
online copy
Comments
Parker footnotes "The entry states that the town had been laid out too large for its population, and permits a smaller line of defence to be fortified." Although the town was vulnerable to french raids trade was failing off because of harbour silting. Restructuring the walls may have been an attempt to increase confidence for merchants. Here, not unusually, fear of french raids may be taking the 'blame' for other economic factors.
The difference's between Parker's translation, which includes mention of sea erosion, and the Calendists is interesting and shows the bias of the Calendists
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 10/02/2009. Last updated on 05/01/2013. First published online 5/01/2013.
