IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0074 ACC/0315
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: NEW BRENTFORD MARKET AND FAIR
Date(s): 1553
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 0.5 linear metres
Name of creator(s): Edward VI | 1537-1553 | King of England
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The nunnery of Saint Helen was founded in the early part of the thirteenth century by William son of William the goldsmith, in the place where a church of Saint Helen had already existed in the reign of Henry II. Edward I gave to the priory in 1285 a piece of the True Cross which he had brought from Wales, and went on foot accompanied by earls, barons, and bishops to present the relic. The nuns about this time seem to have been in need of financial help. They petitioned the king to examine their charters and allow them to hold in frankalmoign henceforth, and it was no doubt in consequence of the inquiry he had ordered that he gave them the right to hold a market and fair at Brentford.
The manor of Boston had a common boundary with the township of New Brentford. The manor is recorded in 1157 as belonging to the abbot of Westminster. By 1179 the vill had been subinfeudated to Ralph Brito, whose son Robert had granted it by 1194 to Geoffrey Blund. After 1216 he granted a quitrent from it to his son-inlaw Henry, son of Rainier, who later held Boston. By 1294 it was held by the prioress of Saint Helen's, Bishopsgate, as tenant of Westminster, which claimed Boston as part of its liberty.
From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden (1982), pp. 123-128 and A History of the County of London: Volume 1: London within the Bars, Westminster and Southwark (1909), pp. 457-461 (both available online).
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Inspeximus by King Edward VI of a grant made by King Edward I in 1296 to the Prioress and Nuns of Saint Elena [Saint Helen's] of London and their successors, allowing a market to be held within the manor of Brentford every Tuesday and an annual fair to be held for six days from the eve of Saint Lawrence's day. 1553. Includes a portrait of the King in the initial E and a decorated heading.
An 'inspeximus' is a charter in which the person granting the charter avouches to have inspected an earlier charter which he repeats and confirms.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
One item.
Conditions governing access:
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright rests with the City of London.
Physical characteristics:
Fit
Finding aids:
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Received 1949 (Acc/0315).
ALLIED MATERIALS
Related material:
See ACC/1295 for a later inspeximus relating to Brentford Market.
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: July to October 2009