Rye was given a grant of murage dated 21/5/1348.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Grant to the mayor and good men of the town of Rye, on their petition shewing that, whereas their town is surrounded on all sides by the sea, a great part of the town has been consumed by the sea and in other ways and that the total destruction of the town is feared unless the same be speedily fortified, especially since the town is situated in a place where the enemies' galleys come more frequently than elsewhere on the coast, of murage for five years. By K. & C.
Granted by Edward III. (Regnal year 22). Granted at Westminster. Granted by K. & C..
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1905,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1348-50) Vol. 8 p. 93
online copy
Secondary Sources
Coulson, Charles, 2009, Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 161
Comments
Is this for sea defences (against erosion) or town defences (against enemies) or both? The clear exaggeration about the risk from the sea (the town is not surrounded by the sea and, unlike Dunwich or Old Winchelsea, did not suffer from coastal erosion, although storms and flood would effect the docks most of the town is on a hill top) can be extended to the risk from raids. Such a risk did exist but the risk of 'total destruction' was slight.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 17/01/2009. Last updated on 03/05/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
