Laugharne - Laugharne Charter

Laugharne Charter

The famous Charter of Laugharne, which the Corporation was founded by, came about during a tempestuous time in local Welsh history. Henry II (Plantagenet) held a parley with Rhys ap Gruffydd at Laugharne Castle in 1172. After Henry’s death, Rhys seized St. Clears, Llanstephan and Laugharne, and then lost them again to the crown. In 1215 Llewelyn ap Iorwerth (Llewelyn Mawr) Prince of Gwynedd, renewed the offensive for the Welsh and razed the three strongholds to the ground. King John in the last year of his reign (1216) restored Norman authority and granted the Lordship of Laugharne to Gui de Brienne who had espoused the daughter of the Lord Dynefor. It was de Brienne who granted Laugharne its famous Charter, and it was ratified by Edward I, at some time between 1270-1290. The Charter reads;

To all the faithful in Christ, to whom this present writing shall come, Gwydo de Brione, the younger eternal salvation in the Lord. Let all of you know that we have granted to our beloved and faithful burgesses of Thalacharn, for us and for our heirs and for our successors, whoever they may be, all the good laws and customs that the burgesses of Carmarthen have up to now used and enjoyed in the time of King John, the grandfather of the Lord Edward I, the son of Henry III, and their predeccessors, Kings of England; preserving the weights and measures that were in the time of Gwydo de Brione, the elder.

We have also granted to the same men a free common in all our northern wood, that is to say, in the whole forest of Coydebech, and all that common pasture in the marsh of Thalacharn which is called Menecors along the marks and boundaries as it is perambulated, and also all that free common from the rivulet which is named Mackorellis on proceeding upwards as far as Greensladeshead, and so towards the east over Eynonsdown by the way that leads to Brangweys, and from there to Corranshead and so upwards to Horilake and from there to the top of Tadhill, and so downwards to Passenant’s Lake and so towards the east to the bounds between Moldhill and that carrucate of land that formerly belonged to Rice, the son of William and downwards to the water of the Taf and so to Heming’s well and from there upwards to Horestone and so to Pensernes and from there downwards to Blindwell and so to Rochcomb and so downwards to the ancient whirlpool of the Taf and from there to Howelscroft and so upwards to the Burch and Mere, and so downwards to the long rock which is near our virgate of Thalacharn.

Also we have granted to the same men one way sixteen feet in which to drive their cattle from the common pasture aforesaid near Passenant’s lake to the water of the Taf.

Also we have granted to the same men one customary acre in length and breadth for digging turfs where they suitably wish to choose in the Turbary near Passenant’s Lake.

We have also granted to our burgesses aforesaid that they themselves for the transgression or forfeiture of their servants may not lose their own chattels and goods found in the hands of the servants or placed aside anywhere by the servants themselves within our land, as far as they will be able to prove that they are their own. And that, if the aforesaid burgesses, or some among them, within our land have died testate or intestate, neither we nor our heirs shall cause their goods to be confiscated so that their heirs do not have the things themselves entirely, as far as it will be established that the aforesaid chattels were those of the said deceased, provided that then knowledge or confidence may be had concerning the aforesaid heirs.

Also we have granted to the same men that no one of them within our land be troubled for the debt of some neighbour, unless he be his debtor or his surety, and that the surety of any one should not be compelled to pay, provided the debtor has wherewith he can pay, and that all off ences committed within their township be corrected according to the judgment of the same people, as has hitherto been accustomed to be done in the borough of Kymarden. We have also granted to the same men, if anyone of them within his township shall have incurred forfeiture towards anyone, he may not be led within the gates of the castle, provided that then he can find good and safe sureties for his standing trial. And that no one of them be compelled to provide his lord, or any bailiff of his, beyond twelve pence, unless he wishes to do it of his own good will, and that no inquisition of affairs of non-burgesses be made by the aforesaid burgesses, but by the freeholders of the country, nor of the burgesses by non-burgesses.

Also we have granted to the same our burgesses that they themselves choose twice in a year two competent burgesses to the office of our Port- reeve, that is to say one in the next hundred-court after the feast of Saint Michael, the other in the next hundred-court after Easter, by the common consent of the same men and not by our authority or that of someone, a bailiff of ours, to hold the hundred-court and to receive the attachments belonging to the hundred and to receive the rent from the township and the toll. And that the said portreeves pay the aforesaid rent and toll to us or to our aforesaid bailiff, appointed for this purpose, within the township of Thalacharn by Tally.

And that they should not have any other duty of buying of exchange, or any other service whatsoever that could harm them within the township or without.

We have also granted to the same men that the aforesaid burgesses be free from every kind of servitude and service of ploughing, harrowing, making hay, reaping, binding corn and of any kind of carting, of repsiring the mill or its pond and from all other kinds of services that could tend to their slavery or their loss within the township and without.

And that they go not to the army except to guard their township, as the burgesses of Kymarden do.

We wish also and grant that, if any one in the open day, in the presence of his neighbours, should buy anything, and afterwards that thing should be ill-spoken of, as if stolen, the buyer lose nothing except then that thing, but it shall he sworn on the oath of his neighbours that he did not know that he had bought that thing from a thief.

And, that this our grant and the confirmation of our present charter for us and for our heirs and for our successors or assigns, whoever they may be, should remain firm and unshaken for ever, we have strengthened this present charter with the impression of our seal, these men being witnesses. Galfrid de Caunville, Patrick de Cadure, William de Caunvill, Thomas de Roche, Roger Corbet, knights. John Laundry, Walter Malenfant, Mared ab Traharn, Thomas Bonegent, clerk, and others.