Tenby was given a grant of murage dated 1/12/1457.
This was in the form of:-
Enforcement power:-
Other aid:- Earl to undertake expense of the erection of walls on his lands and tenements.
This is a rare example of lordly support for town walls given for interest.
Wording
By the annexed Fac Simile we are informed, that during the mayorality of Thomas White, Jasper, Earl of Pembroke, having ascertained that the walls of Tenby were unskilfully built, and insufficiently repaired, grants his assistance and permission towards rebuilding and repairing them. By his patent it is determined, that, for the convenience and strength of his town of Tenby, and for the defence of the whole county of Pembroke, the walls of the town shall be made six feet broad in every part; so that people may be able to walk round them for the purpose of defence. And that no impediment or obstruction may arise from any Burgess or Freeholder, the Mayor and Burgesses are enabled to rebuild the walls upon any of the lands, tenements, gardens, cottages, or other buildings belonging to the said Burgesses. The Mayor, Freeholders, and Burgesses agree among themselves to cleanse the moat round the town, and to make it thirty feet broad in every part. The Freeholders having lands or tenements adjoining the moat, undertake the making of one half at their own charge, and the Commonalty undertake to complete the other half in a similar manner. The Mayor, Freeholders and Burgesses undertake the erection of one half of the walls on their own lands and tenements, and the commonalty the other. The Earl is supplicated to undertake a similar expence in the erection of the walls upon the lands and tenements belonging to himself. This request is acceeded to, and the Walls and Moats are granted to the Mayor, Burgesses, and Freeholders, and their successors for ever. He also grants to the Mayor for the time being power and authority to press Carpenters, Masons, Carriers, Labourers and all other workmen in every part of the County of Pembroke, as well as within the town of Tenby, for the building of the walls. Their cates and wages to be paid according to the established statute. All ordinances appointed by the Major and Burgesses are to be faithfully observed, and all fines and penalties by which they choose to bind themselves are to be complied with. All offenders against these ordinances are to be punished by the Mayor, and the Bailiffs of the town are to levy the fines and penalties imposed; which are to be applied to the perpetual repairs of the walls of Tenby. The power of moderating all unreasonable penalties is reserved to the Earl and his council.
This Patent is dated the first of December, in the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Henry the Sixth. (From Anon, 1818 but clearly a copy of Norris)
Granted by Jasper, Earl of Pembroke.
Primary Sources
Norris, Charles, 1812,
Etchings Of Tenby p. 24-5
online copy
Secondary Sources
Turner, H.L., 1971,
Town Defences in England and Wales (London) p. 224
Hore, H.F., 1853, 'Mayors and Bailiffs of Tenby'
Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 4 p. 115
Anon, 1818,
An account of Tenby p. 44-47 (from Norris)
online copy
Comments
During the mayoralty of Thomas White (1457), Jasper, Earl of Pembroke, granted his permission and assistance towards rebuilding and repairing the walls of Tenby, which were ordered to be made six feet broad in every part, so that there might be a walk round them for the purposes of defence. This will probably account for the succession of arches built against the inner side of the walls, on the top of which the walk was evidently constructed. A facsimile of the original deed granted by the Earl of Pembroke is given by Mr. Norris in his Etchings of Tenby. (Turner)
Lordly rather than royal support for walls.
Record created by Philip Davis. This record created 01/02/2009. Last updated on 05/01/2013. First published online 5/01/2013.
