Athy was given a grant of murage dated 3/5/1431.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Rex eisd', (recit' quod 28 Jan' ult' in quodam tractatu coram Jacobus le Botiler comite de Ormond loc' ten' Hib' & consilio ib' super defencione ville de Athy, que est maxim' fortalicium & clavis patrie, Ric' Wellesley mil' coram dicto loc' ten' & consilio compens manucepit ad eadem cont' malic' Hibernicor' inimicor' Rexs custodiend'; & sup hoc concordat' fuit quod praedictus Ric' heret custodian dicte ville &c.) mand' quod eidem R. 100s, qui ei a recto sunt de 20l annuis a dicto 28 Jan' usq' 28 Ap' ult', solv'. 3 Maii, an' 9.
Granted by Henry VI. (Regnal year 9).
Primary Sources
Tresham, Edward (ed), 1828, Rotulorum patentium et clausorum cancellariae Hiberniae calendarium (Dublin; His Majesty's printers) p. 251 No. 23
Secondary Sources
Taaffe, F., 2008, 'Town was last frontier of Kildare'
Eye on the past (online blog archive of articles in Kildare edition of The Nationalist newspaper)
online copyThomas, A., 1992,
The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 17-19
Comments
there are two 15th century references to murage measures - in 1431 'expenses of 100/- for the defence' of Athy were allowed for 20 years (CP+CR I 251), and in 1448 it was stated that tolls could only be charged on goods sold within the town and not on those carried through (Comerford 59). The latter indicates that a murage charter was in operation at the same time as the cash grant. A further charter dated 1515-16, is recorded but not its details (Omurethi 60: Cunneen 57). (Thomas)
In 1431 expenses of 100 sovereigns were granted to the town for its defence. A further murage reference was noted in 1448 when it is stated that tolls were only to be charged on goods sold within the town of Athy and not those carried through. (Taaffe)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 28/03/2009. Last updated on 02/06/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
