Shrewsbury (Salopesbiry) was given a grant of murage dated 6/10/1218.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
De villa Salopesbiry claudenda.—Rex probis hominibus Salopesbiry, salutem. Mandamus vobis rogantes quatinus in fide qua nobis tenemini, et sicut nos et indempnitatem nostram et vestram diligitis, occasione et dilacione postpositis, onmem quam poteritis apponatis diligenciam et sollicitudinem ad firmandum et claudendum villam nostram de Salopesbiry, ne pro defectu vestri dampnum, quod absit, nobis eveniat, et ne inimici nostri ad dispendium nostrum et vestrum in villam vestram habere possint ingressum eo quod, pro defectu firmacionis, eam sibi invenerint expositam ad ingrediendum in eam, Et quoniam etc. Teste comite, apud Dunstaple, vj die Octobris, anno etc. secundo.
(The king to the good men of Shrewsbury, greeting. We enjoin upon you requesting that, by the faith with which you are bound to us, and as you love us and our safety and your own, all excuse and delay postponed, you apply all the diligence in your power to strengthen and enclose our town of Shrewsbury, lest by your defect damage, which God forbid, may happen to us, and lest our enemies, to our loss and yours, may gain entrance into your town because for lack of fortification they find it open to their entrance.)
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D' villa Salopes. claudenda.—Rex Vicecome Salop' salutem. Scias quad mandavimum probis hominibus Salop' quod in fide qua tenentur sicut nos et indempnitatem nostram et suam diligunt modis omnibus intendant ad villam suam firmandam et claudendam ne pro defectu eoram malam quod absit nobis et eis eveniat et ne pro incuriam suam vel debilitatem inimici nostri in villam illam ad dispendium nostram et suum libram habeant ingerssum. Unde tibi mandamus quatinas secundum tenorem mandati nostri quod eis mittimus ita diligenter te intromittas quod praedicta villa firmatur et claudatur quod tibi grates scire debeamus, ne pro defectu tui malum quod absit nobis et regno nostra eveniat. Teste Comite apud Dunstaple, vj. die Octobris
Granted by Henry III. (Regnal year 2). Granted at Dunstaple.
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1901, Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry III (1216-25) Vol. 1 p. 169
Hardy, T.D. (ed), 1833, Rotuli Litterarum Clausarum in turri Londinensi (1204-24) (Record Commission) Vol. 1 p. 370
Secondary Sources
Coulson, Charles, 2009,
Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
Barker, P.A., 1961, 'Excavations on the town wall, Roushill, Shrewsbury'
Medieval Archaeology Vol. 5 p. 181
online copyBallard, A. and Tait, J. (eds), 1923,
British borough charters, 1216-1307 p. 120 (for translation)
online copy
Comments
Indexed in CPR as walling for Shrewsbury and, separately as murage for Salisbury. Salisbury's medieval latin spelling varied but Saresbirie and Sarisburi are two used in other entries in this Calendar. The Calendarist would have know the difference but given the enormity of their task an error of this sort is understandable.
In 1218, … Henry III commanded the citizens to enclose their growing town (Barker)
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 04/01/2009. Last updated on 04/01/2013. First published online 5/01/2013.
