Shrewsbury was given a grant of murage dated 18/5/1343.
This was in the form of:-
This is a grant which may have been used for walls but could have been used for other civic improvements.
Wording
Grant to the bailiffs and good men of Shrewsbury that whereas the king granted to them pontage for repair of their bridge called 'le Walshebrugge' for three years from 16 March, in his tenth year, and, on 12 February, in his twelfth year, granted that at the end of that term they should take such customs for another five years, they may take the same for another two years and apply them in repair of the said bridge and of the walls and pavement of their town. By K. and by fine of 1/2 mark. Salop.
Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 17). Granted at Westminster. Granted by K. & fine of mark. Salop..
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1902,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1343-45) Vol. 6 p. 35
online copy
Secondary Sources
Coulson, Charles, 2009, Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
Comments
This sort of grant is really a 'general improvement' grant such as was often made to Gascon bastides and towns. This instance is noted under 'murage' in the index but such cases show the the unwisdom of relying on the index solely. Fining for murage grants is apparently new and increasingly prevalent. Vagueness of definition is quite common (Portsmouth conflated 2 separate grants of 1342 in their petition of 1344) as here. Presumably the Shrewsbury men asked for the scope to be enlarged. Why the fad to fine ???, even minimally, is not apparent. Certainly, they were not then in danger and the Chancery may have thought the levies were unnecessary - but no such judgment was normally applied (Coulson)
The walls had some function as flood defence and this 'danger' was ever present. I suspect the reason for this small fine lies elsewhere than the Chancery.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 16/01/2009. Last updated on 04/06/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
