XIV.—The London Customs House during the Middle Ages

Mabel H. Mills

doi:10.1017/S0261340900005452

XIV.—The London Customs House during the Middle Ages

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 July 2011

Mabel H. Mills

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The actual working of a medieval port is a fascinating subject for study: when the port is London, and the time the fourteenth century, the interest is increased, for this is the earliest date at which the customs administration takes definite shape. The present paper was undertaken as part of the investigations into the life and works of Chaucer carried on by Professor Manly and Professor Rickert of the University of Chicago with the aid of a grant from the General Education Board. The research into Chaucer's work as controller of customs involved the collection of material of a more general character with only an indirect bearing on the poet's life. In this paper, with Mr. Manly's generous permission, is set out an account of the site of the Woolwharf with the buildings on it, a story which affords glimpses of the officials at work on the quay, of the machinery for the collection and administration of the customs in the port of London. The object of the search being limited, the present study makes no claim to be exhaustive in its treatment, though a large number of records have been examined at both the Public Record Office and the Guildhall.

Type: Research Article
Information: Archaeologia , Volume 83 , 1933 , pp. 307 - 325

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261340900005452 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1933

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References

^{page 308 note 1} Stow, Survey, ed. Kingsford, i, 108, 135 6, 226. Liber Albus (Rolls Series), i, 178–9, 245–6. Cal. Pat. Rolls (1381–5), p. 149. Harleian MS. 530, fo. 38, 38d, gives his transcription of this entry. He only seems to have known of the indenture of 4th July 1382. There are two other important entries for the ancient customs and one for the petty customs houses on this Patent Roll.

^{page 308 note 2} Calendar of Letter-Books E, pp. 19–20.

^{page 308 note 3} Cal. Letter-Books F, p. 112.

^{page 308 note 4} Cal. Pat. Rolls (1317–21), p. 240; Cal. Fine Rolls (1307–19), p. 384.

^{page 308 note 5} Rotuli Parliamentorum, ii, 351; Memoranda Roll K. R. (E. 159) 156 Trinity Recorda, London, De Willelmo Walworth.

^{page 309 note 1} Archaeologia, vol. lxxiv, pp. 137–58.

^{page 309 note 2} Enrolled Customs Accounts (E. 356), Roll I, m. 25; Customs Accounts (E. 122), 68/3, m. 3.

^{page 309 note 3} Enrolled Customs Accounts, Roll II, m. id.

^{page 311 note 1} Sharpe, Calendar of City Coroners' Rolls (1300–78), p. 129.

^{page 311 note 2} Calendar of Wills of Court of Hustings, London, Part I (1258–1358), p. 319.

^{page 311 note 3} Cal. Letter Books E, p. 262.

^{page 311 note 4} Cal. Pat. Roll (1340–3), p. 83; ibid. (1345–8), pp. 59–60.

^{page 311 note 5} Extents and Inquisitions (E. 143) 11/1, no. 31.

^{page 312 note 1} Calendar of Miscellaneous Inquisitions (1307–49), no. 1762.

^{page 312 note 2} Cal. Close Rolls (1341–3), p. 64. The phrase used is in aliqua domo ibidem. Cf. also p. 178.

^{page 312 note 3} Cal. of Miscellaneous Inquisitions (1307–49), no. 1909.

^{page 312 note 4} H. T. Riley, Memorials of London and London Life, p. 254.

^{page 313 note 1} The Close Roll has the word ‘scrutator’ which is the word usually used for a searcher of customs.

^{page 313 note 2} Cal. Close Rolls (1354–60), p. 322.

^{page 313 note 3} K. R. Memoranda Roll (E. 159), 132, Brevia irretornabilia, Michaelmas term.

^{page 314 note 1} Cal. Close Rolls (1360–4), p. 26.

^{page 314 note 2} K. R. Memoranda Roll (E. 159), 142, Brevia directa Baronibus, Michaelmas term, 40 Edward III, 17th November 1365, Pro Collectoribus parue custume in portu London’.

^{page 314 note 3} Cal. Fine Rolls (1356–68), pp. 308, 325.

^{page 314 note 4} Enrolled Customs Accounts (E. 356), 9, m. 34.

^{page 315 note 1} K. R. Memoranda Roll (E. 159), 143, Adhuc Brevia Directa Baronibus, Michaelmas Term, m. 18. A house for the tronage of wools was built about the same date at Newcastle-on-Tyne. Cal. Close Rolls (1364–8), pp. 251–2 (2 letters).

^{page 315 note 2} Issue Roll, 425, m. 17. I have the pleasure of thanking Professor Rickert for this reference.

^{page 315 note 3} Rotuli Parliamentorum, ii, 351.

^{page 315 note 4} Patent Roll I Ric. II, pt. 1 (C. 66/297), m. 2. concessimus ei officium custodie domus pertinentis magne custume super le Wollekeye London’ Habend’ quamdiu nobis placuerit percipiendo in officio illo talia feoda et rewarda qualia alij qui officium predictum ante hec tempora habuerunt perceperunt & qualia eidem officio pertinent. Cal. Pat. Rolls (1377–81), p. 36; Cal. Close Rolls (1377–81), p. 29.

^{page 316 note 1} Archaeologia, vol. Ixxiv, pp. 137–58.

^{page 316 note 2} K. R. Memoranda Roll (E. 159), 132, Communia Hilary Term, and boundaries of Woolwharf site.

^{page 316 note 3} Cal. Close Rolls, 1377–81, p. 113. The ‘etc’ of the calendar only covers the usual appurtenances phrase of the deed. The other deeds for Chircheman's new house all give this description.

^{page 317 note 4} See p. 323.

^{page 318 note 1} Customs Accounts (E. 122), 68/3, m. 3; Enrolled Customs Accounts (E. 356), Roll 1, m. 25 and 25d; ibid., Roll 2, m. 1, id, 2. Cf. also Pipe Roll 233 (1387–8) Adhuc Item London dorse for furniture at a later date. Professor Rickert kindly furnished this reference.

^{page 317 note 2} Miss L. J. Redstone drew my attention to this, and Mr. V. B. Redstone gave me particulars of the way in which it worked.

^{page 317 note 3} Birch, Catalogue of Seals in the British Museum, no. 1157, is the seal taken from the matrix in the Department of Medieval Antiquities.

^{page 318 note 1} The evidence for the furniture is taken from the original Customs Accounts (E. 122), 68/3, m. 3 ; Enrolled Customs Accounts (E. 356), 1, m. 25; ibid., 2, m. 1.

^{page 318 note 2} Exchequer Miscellanea (E. 163), 14/4.

^{page 318 note 3} Cal. Close Rolls (1377–81), p. 113.

^{page 318 note 4} Special Commissions (E. 178), 6318.

^{page 319 note 1} I have to thank Capt. F. C. Read, F.S.I., for his kindness in preparing a plan of this section of Ogilby as a scale drawing (fig. 2).

^{page 322 note 1} Professor Rickert found this reference in Pipe Roll 233 under the account of John Organ and John Chircheman, collectors of the petty subsidy, under Adhuc Item London.

^{page 322 note 2} Cal. Close Rolls (1377–81), p. 113 ; Hustings Roll 106 (150); ibid., 108 (14), 24 ; Cal. Pat. Rolls (1381–5), p. 149, 154. The Cal. Pat. Rolls, p. 149, omits the ‘collectors’, but they are duly entered on the original roll.

^{page 323 note 1} This seems a better translation than ‘compter’.

^{page 323 note 2} Cal. Pat. Rolls (1381–5), p. 299, Chancery Warrants (C. 81/481/2867). The quotation has been examined on the Patent Roll itself and compared with the warrant. The Patent Roll is the best.

^{page 324 note 1} Cal. Pat. Rolls (1385–9), 204.

^{page 324 note 2} Issue Roll 522 Michaelmas, 14 Richard II, m. 21 ; Foreign Accounts (E. 364), 35 m. A.

^{page 324 note 3} Cal. Pat. Rolls (1399–1401), p. 152; (1401–5), p. 103; ibid. (1422–9), pp. 142–3; ibid. (1436–41), pp. 225–6.

^{page 324 note 4} ‘The Customs Houses of London’ in Port of London Authority Monthly, 1927–8.

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XIV.—The London Customs House during the Middle Ages

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