Athenry (Athnery) was given a grant of murage dated 14/10/1310.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
De Muragio pro villa de Athnery.
Ballivi & probi homines de Athnery habent mur' a festo sancti Luce evangelium anno quarto per triennium in forma qua habent homones de Adare sub testimonium J' Wogan &c. apud Dublin XIIII. die Octobr' anno ut supa.
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14 Oct. 1310 Dublin
The bailiffs and men of Athenry have a grant of murage for three years from 18 Oct. 1310 in the same form as the murage of Adare.
Attested: John Wogan, Jcr
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Ballivi et hominies de Athnery habent murag' pre triennium in ead' forma qua hominies de Adare. 14 Oct
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{Hardiman attribute the below list to this grant but it is the list from the Adare grant although it was the same.}
De quolibet crannoco cujuscunque generis bladi venali, unum obulum
de quolibet crannoco talis, unum quadrantem;
de quolibet equo vel equa, hobino, bove vel vacca venali, unum obulum;
de quolibet carcasio bovis vel vacce venali, unum obulum;
de quolibet corio bovis vel vacce, hobbini, equi vel eque, frisco, salsato, aut tannato, unum quadrantem;
de quinque baconibns, unum denarium;
de decem ovibus vel capris, unum denarium;
de quinqueporcis unum denarium;
de decem agnis unum obulum;
de qualibet centena pellium ovium tanatarum vel schorlingorum, duos denarios;
de qualibet centenapellium agnorum, caprarum, leporum, cuniculorum, vulpium, cattorum seu squirrellorum unum obulum;
de qualibet centena pellium cervorum, bissarum, damorum vel damarum, unum denarium;
de qualibet centena Panni hibernici, quatuor denarios;
de qualibet centena linee tele, duos denarios;
de quolibet Panno integro anglicano cujuscunque coloris, duos denarios;
de quolibet Panno hibernico integro, unum obulum;
de qualibet folyngo, unum quadrantem;
de quolibet dolio vini, quatuor denarios;
de qualibet centena Jerri, quatuor denarios;
de qualibet centena de canabo, quatuor denarios;
de quolibet salmone, unum quadrantem;
de qualibet lampreda, unum quadrantem;
de qualibet pisa uncti, cepi, butiri et casei, unum denarium;
de qualibet carrectata de tandust, unum denarium;
de qualibet carrectata maeremii, unum obulum;
de qualibet carrectata bosei, unum quadrantem;
de …..
de qualibet centena cere, quatuor denarios;
de quolibet sumagio mellis, unum denarium;
de ……;
de qualibet centena de Verdegris, vel alterius cujuscunque coloris, duos denarios;
de duobus millibus ceparum, unum obulum;
de qualibet meysia allecum, unum denarium;
de quolibet summagio piscis maris, frisci vel sulsati, unum obulum;
de duobus miliarum quorumcunque clavorum, unum denarium;
de qualibet centena ferrorum equorum et clicorum ad carrectas, unum denarium;
de qualibet centena, unum obulum;
de qualibet centena piscis sicci, unum denarium;
de qualibet centena anguittarum, unum quadrantem;
de decem petris canabi, unum quadrantem;
de qualibet centena de teslis, unum denarium;
de qualibet centena cujuscunque …. eris vel cupri operata vel non operate, quatuor denarios;
de qualibet pari rotarum ad carectas, unum obulum;
de duabus solidatis cujuscunque mercimonii quod non nominatur in litteris istis, unum obulum.
Granted by Edward II. (Regnal year 4). Granted at Dublin. Granted by testimonium J' Wogan.
Primary Sources
Commissioners on the Public Records of Ireland, 1889 (prepared 1829-30),
Chartae Privilegia et Immunitates, being transcripts of charters and privileges to cities, towns, abbeys and other bodies corporated, 18 Henry II. to 18 Richard II., 1171 to 1395 (Dublin; Irish Record Commission) p. 43 (ref. E. Rot. Pat. 3, 4 Edw. II. m. 3)
A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters, c. 1244-1509, PR 4 Edw. II
View CIRCLE recordTresham, Edward (ed), 1828,
Rotulorum patentium et clausorum cancellariae Hiberniae calendarium (Dublin; His Majesty's printers) p. 16 No. 33
Secondary Sources
Galway Cunty Council, 2008,
Athenry Town Walls Conservation and Management Plan (Galway County Council) p. 31
online copyThomas, A., 1992,
The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 8-13
Hardiman, James, 1846,
A Chorographical Description of West or H-Iar Connaught p. 266-67
online copy
Comments
Following the three-year murage grant of 1310, stone walls replaced the probable earlier wooden palisade construction, but retained and enhanced the fosse and ramparts on the exterior. The grants were only for three years, but the Town Walls are thought to have been completed c. 1321. (Athenry Town Walls Management Plan - No reference)
On 14th October, 1310, a murage charter was granted to the bailiffs and good men of Athnery (Athenry) empowering them, for three years from the then feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, to levy and take the customs therein specified, for the purpose of enclosing the town with a stone wall.—Rot . Pat. 3, 4 Edw. II. m. 3. (Hardiman). The walls were mainly funded from the profits of warfare with the local Irish, a significant battle was won in 1316. By the C16 the town was reportedly impoverished by the cost of garrison and warfare with the Irish. Since the walls were kept in good repair throughout the medieval period and the town did not expand in the modern period the walls remain in good order and are some of the best preserved in Ireland.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 22/02/2009. Last updated on 21/01/2013. First published online 5/01/2013.
