Brougham Bridge over the River Eamont (bridge of Burgham upon the river Amote) was given a grant of murage dated 4/7/1386.
This was in the form of:-
Wording
Grant, for three years, to Alexander del Brigg, William Colynson and John Adyngham of murage from things passing for sale over the bridge of Burgham upon the river Amote and through metes and bounds where there is a common thoroughfare by the river, in aid of making afresh a stone wall over the same.
Granted by Richard II. (Regnal year 10). Granted at Westminster.
Primary Sources
Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1900,
Calendar of Patent Rolls Richard II (1385-89) Vol. 3 p. 190
online copy
Secondary Sources
Coulson, Charles, 2009, Murage Grants (Handwritten list and notes)
Comments
What kind of wall? Why not pontage? Murage was a tax for building walls, not expressly defenses. Given the close proximity of Brougham castle this might be a subsidiary defence, but could also be a flood defence, a simple demarcation line, a 'safety' rail, a stock control measure or some other such. A non-military wall is much more likely. The expression 'a stone wall over the same' suggests a safety rail or parapet. I suspect in practice pontage was what was asked for and what was applied but that somewhere the mention of a wall has produced some confusion.
Coulson suggests the three named men would be the charitable committee responsible for the bridge.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 18/01/2009. Last updated on 03/05/2012. First published online 5/01/2013.
