GATEHOUSE
A comprehensive gazetteer and bibliography of the medieval castles, fortifications and palaces of England, Wales and the Islands.
 
 
Home
The listings
Other Info
Books
Links
Downloads
Contact
 
Murage Home
Grants
Exemptions
Petitions
Other
 
Print Page 
 
Next Record 
Previous Record 
Back to list 

Galway (Galvy) was given a grant of murage dated 25/3/1272.

This was in the form of:-

Wording
de vino, sale, lana, pannis, coreis, pellibus omnium agnorum et , piscibus, alecibus, et aliis diversis et minutis mercandisis.

Granted by Henry III. (Regnal year 56).
Primary Sources
1904, 36th Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records of Ireland (Dublin) app. XLII p. 47-8

Secondary Sources
Database of Irish Excavations Reports online copy
Thomas, A., 1992, The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 106-113
Hardiman, J., 1820, The history of the town and county of Galway (Dublin) p. 49-50 online copy

Comments
The building of the wall probably commenced shortly after the year 1270, when Galway obtained its first murage grant. (Irish Excavations Reports)
the earliest known murage grant can be dated to 1272 at the latest, on the basis of its accounts recorded in the Pipe Rolls for two periods, 1272-1275 and 1278-80 (6 EdI. Rep DK 1904/36, app. XLII 47-8; Hardiman 49-50). (Thomas)
It was, however, found necessary, in order effectually to prevent their incursions, which were frequent and destructive, to fortify the town, and surround it with walls. This work was accordingly commenced about the year 1270; and there is still extant, on the great roll of the pipe, 6 Edw. I.—the account of Stephen Annery and Adam Albus, collectors of the murage of the town of Galvy, in Connaught, from the festival of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 56 Hen. III. until the same festival, 3 Edw. I. in which they account for 29l. 7s. 6d. received for customs of wine, salt, cloth, leather and divers other merchandize, whereout they expended 29l. 4s. 5d. in masons and carpenters wages, and expenses of workmen assisting them in the wood and stone work during that time. On the same roll, there also appears the account of Robert Bayon, collector of the murage of Galway, from the Sunday next after the festival of St. Martin, Edw. I. until Tuesday on the morrow of St. Simon and Jude, 8 Edw. I. wherein he accounts for 27/. 13s. 11 d. customs of wine, salt, wool, cloth, leather, skins of all lambs and goats, fish, herrings, and other divers and minute merchandize, at the same place coming in during that time, whereout he expended, in making a large fire to burn lime, and for wood carried to the same, and for the wages of masons and other workmen employed for breaking stone, and conveying it to the same place during the same time, and for the wages of workmen and others assisting the masons to make walls on the side towards the sea, and to build a tower beyond the great gate, and in buying iron for fabricating crows, pickaxes, nails, and other tools, 5/. 17s. 4d.: and further, for wages of carpenters working about the tower, and for carriage of timber and carpenters work at the gate, and for various other necessary works, 11/. 5s. 7d.— The contents of this ancient record are thus particularly specified, as they recount the first considerable improvements which were made in the town after it was possessed by the English settlers; and, trifling as the amount of the sums expended on these works may appear in modern times, they will be found, upon a comparative calculation of the then value of money, to have been very considerable. (Hardiman)
I have taken these Pipe Roll entries to be the entire accounts of two separate grants; the first for three years the second for two years.

Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 20/02/2009. Last updated on 05/01/2013. First published online 5/01/2013.

Home | Books | Links | Fortifications and Castles | Other Information | Help | Downloads | Author Information | Contact

¤¤¤¤¤