Ruyton XI Towns

Charter? - What Charter?

In 1301, Edward Earl of Arundel acquired the Manor of Ruyton, he was one of the powerful Marcher lords and owned vast tracts of land on the Welsh Borders. He was able to create Boroughs or important new towns to keep the Wild Welsh under control.

 The Church and Castle were already in existence and the River Perry was the boundary between England and Wales so it was ideal for a fortified town.

 The Borough of New Ruyton or Nova Villa de Ruyton was created and con-firmed by King Edward II in 1308. These were the privileges granted to the citizens or Burgesses of the new town.

 Anyone who took a Burgage Place must pay the Earl or his heirs 12 pence for the house and 4 pence for each acre twice a year - a house plus 3 acres was considered sufficient to support a family. Burgesses were to have the use of pasturage on the Common lands throughout the Manor of the eleven towns. Burgesses were granted freedom from tolls and taxes throughout the Earl's lands.

 The new Borough was to have the Laws of Bristol, another new model town on the Welsh Borders, and the citizens were to be equal to those of Shrewsbury and Hereford. A Guild Mercatory, the forerunner of the town Corporation, could make its own bylaws to control all trade in the Borough, including the price of bread and ale. For each brewing in the Borough, three gallons of ale must be given to the Earl, probably for the garrison at the castle.

 Any stranger who lived for a year and a day and paid his dues could become a freeman with protection from other Lords. The Burgesses were granted the right of criminal jurisdiction to apprehend, judge and imprison all thieves, homicides and evil doers who may come into the Borough.

 These privileges, although extensive, were not equal with Shrewsbury and Oswestry as there was no provision for the election of a Mayor.

 So what are we celebrating? The 700th anniversary of Ruyton being given the opportunity to become an important town - or the fact that our village never did become a Shrewsbury, a Hereford or a Bristol?