Dungarvan (dongarvan') was given a grant of murage dated 1463.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
9. Item al Requisicion' dez co'es Que pr ceo come le frie de dongarvan' fuit del auncient temps le terspluis gaund auncient honor perteignant au Roy deinz cest terre quele per guerre et trouble et en defaulte de englois gouernaunce est pr le greindre partie finalmentdestrue et pr relief et succor del mesme Ordeine est et establie per auctorite du dit parliament q' lez portriefe et co'es del dit vile lor heires et successors poient auer et enioier toutz manerez frankez dones lib'tees piuileges et custumez come lez tenantz et enhabitauntz del honorable honoure de Clare en Engleterre vsount et enioiount Et q' per mesme lauctorite lez ditz portriefe et co'es et lor heires et Successours poient aure receiure et preignre toutz maners custumez de toutz maners merchaundisez de estre achateux ou vendeux deins lor fraunchise semble come lez Meire et co'es de Bristowe ount receiuez et prisez deins la dit vile de Bristowe et q' lez profitez de ez ditz custumez soient annuelment expendeux sur lez murez et aulterz defenses del dit vile per le survieu del honorable fr Thomas Count de dessemond et sez heires.
10. Item al Requisicion' dez Co'es Que come la vile de dongarvan deinz le Counte de Waterford et la vile de Rathgele deins le Counte de lymeryk sount semblez de estre spoilez rubbez et ardez per lez Englois Rebelx et irroys Enemies le Roy en defaulte de sufficientez murez et fosses pr la defense de lez ditz viles et que lez ditz viles pur lez diuersez ardementez espoilmentes et robbements et aultres entollerables charges et costes q' ount este iettez et misez sur eaux ne poient my sufficientment fac' eaux fortez ouesque murez et fosses Sur que lez permisses considerez ordeine est establie et enacte per auctorite du dit parliament q' vne co'e Marchee soit tenuz chescun' ior en le semmayn' en le dit vile de dongarvan' et chescun' Maresdy vne co'e Marchee de estre tenuz en la dit vile Rathgele et que tout manere dez biens et merchaundises veignantez al dit Marchee ou Marcheez destre vendeux qils paient reisonablez custumes en lez ditz viles et chescun' de eaux en semblable manere sicome tielx biens paiount deins les Citees de divelin et Waterford et que lez ditz custumez issint paiez soient misez et paiez pr le fesaunce dez murez et fosses et aultres defenses entor lez ditz viles solonque la discrecion' del treshonorable fr Thomas Count de dessemond et sez heires pr toutz iors prvieu a toutz foi{tz q'} cest persente act ne soit my lesion' ne periudiciale a nule person' ne person's qi sount frankez de toutz manerez custumez per lez l'res patentes {du} Roy ou ascun'z aultres gauntez deuant cest temps
IX. Also, at the request of the Commons. Whereas the lordship of Dungarvan was from ancient time the greatest ancient honour belonging to the King in this land, which by war and trouble and for want of English government is for the greater part utterly destroyed, and for relief and succour of the same: It is ordained and established by authority of the said parliament, that the portreeves and commons of the said town, their heirs and successors, may have and enjoy all manner of free gifts, liberties, privileges and customs, as the tenant and inhabitants of the noble honour of Clare in England have and enjoy. And that by the same authority the said portreeves and commons, and their heirs and successors, may have receive and take all manner of customs of all manner of merchandises to be brought and sold within the franchise, like the mayor and commons of Bristol have received and taken in the said town of Bristol; and that the profits of the said customs to be yearly expended upon the walls and other defences of the said town, by the oversight of the honorable lord, Thomas Earl of Desmond, and his heirs.
X. Also, at the request of the Commons. Whereas the town of Dungarvan in the county of Waterford, and the town of Rathkeale in the county of Limerick are like to be spoiled robbed and burned by the English rebels and Irish enemies of the King, for want of sufficient walls and trenches for the defence of the said towns, and that the said towns, by reason of the divers burnings, pillages, robberies, and other intolerable charges and costs which have been cast and put upon them, cannot sufficiently make themselves strong with walls walls and trenches. Whereupon the premises considered: It is ordained, established and enacted by authority of the said Parliament, that a common market be held every day in the week in the said town of Dungarvan, and every Tuesday a common market be held in the said town of Rathkeale; and that all manner of goods and merchandises coming to the said market or markets to be sold shall pay reasonable customs in the said towns and each of them, in the like manner as such goods pay in the cities of Dublin and Waterford; and that the said customs so paid be applied and expended for the making of walls and trenches and other defences round the said towns, according to the discretion of the right honorable lord Thomas, Earl of Desmond, and his heirs for ever. Provided always that this present act shall not hurt or prejudice any person or persons who are free of all manner of customs by the King's letters patents, or any other grants heretofore.
Granted by Edward IV. (Regnal year 3).
Primary Sources
Berry, H.F. and Morrissey, J.F. (eds), 1914, Statute Rolls of the Parliament of Ireland Vol. 3 (Dublin) p. 56-9
Secondary Sources
Thomas, A., 1992, The Walled Towns of Ireland Vol. 2 (Irish Academic Press) p. 99-101
O'Brien, A.F., 1987, 'The development and evolution of the medieval borough and port of Dungarvan' Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Vol. 92 p. 87
Comments
the earliest known murage grant is dated 1463. It allowed Dungarvan, along with Rathkeale in co. Limerick, customs of the market under the supervision of the Earl of Desmond, who was then the Lord Deputy. He was also granted the fee-farm of Dungarvan for the same purpose, references being made to a 'want of sufficient walls and trenches' during a period of attacks by 'English rebels and Irish enemies' (SR III 57-9; O'Brien 87). (Thomas)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 01/04/2009. Last updated on 27/04/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
