Kilkenny was given a grant of murage dated 18/10/1547.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Charter of Kilkenny; reciting King's letter, Hampton Court, 18 October, 1°, directed to the Lord Deputy and Council, in confirmation of the antient liberties and privileges of the citizens; and reciting a lease to Walter Cowley, of Browneston, gent., of the Monastery of Saint John the Evangelist of Kilkenny, with all its possessions, for 21 years, the reversion of which, with 2 acres of meadow, within the town, 21 messuages, 60 acres of arable land, 20 acres of pasture, aud 40 gardens in Kilkenny, a water-mill in the Madoline-street, a wood called Chenonsgrove or Lowerswoode within the liberties, 10 messuages, 20 acres of arable land in Drakeland, and 4s. rent issuing out of a certain house in which Robert Tobin lived, is by this charter granted to the Sovereign, Provost, Burgesses, and Commonalty; To hold forever at a rent of £16 6s. 4d., and £1 by way of increase; with licence to acquire lands to the value of £40 a year, to be expended upon the reparation and maintenance of the walls of the town. No date.
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King's letter to Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputy, and the Lords of the Council in Ireland, acknowledging the receipt of their letter to the Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector, and the Council in England, in favour of the Sovereign, Portreive, and Burgesses of Kilkenny; and stating that His Majesty was desirous to grant them a confirmation of their ancient liberties and privileges, in such manner as hath been and is accustomed in cases of confirmation of liberties, " that others may understand that the King will not suffer such as shew themselves disloyal uncorrected, so he will cherish and aid those that regard their duty and allegiance;" His Majesty is also pleased to grant them in fee-farm the late dissolved house of Saint John's, with all the lands thereto belonging, in the liberties of the town of Kilkenny, with licence to purchase lands to the value of £40 a-year; to hold for ever in mortmain, to be by them employed in the reparation and maintenance of the walls of the town; and the Justices, Attorney, and Solicitor arc instructed to prepare such charters or instruments as shall be necessary for the purpose. Signed, E. Somerset.‚- Oct. 18, 1°.
Granted by Edward VI. (Regnal year 1).
Primary Sources
Morrin, J. (ed), 1861,
Calendar of the Patent and Close Rolls of Chancery in Ireland, of the Reigns of Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth: 1514-1575 Vol. 1 p. 157-8, 147-8
online copy
Secondary Sources
Thomas, A., 1992, The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 126-32
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 14/03/2009. Last updated on 30/04/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
