Skip to main content
Service phase: Beta

This is a new way to search our records, which we're still working on. Alternatively you can search our existing catalogue, Discovery.

Item

Commons of Newcastle upon Tyne. King and Council. The people of Newcastle request...

Catalogue reference: SC 8/129/6422

What’s it about?

This record is about the Commons of Newcastle upon Tyne. King and Council. The people of Newcastle request... dating from [1384] in the series Special Collections: Ancient Petitions. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.

Is it available online?

Yes, this record is available online and can be downloaded. How to view it.

Can I see it in person?

No, this record is not available to see in person at The National Archives. Other ways to view it.

Full description and record details

Reference
SC 8/129/6422
Date
[1384]
Description
Petitioners
Commons of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Addressees
King and Council.
Nature of request
The people of Newcastle request the revocation of a charter lately granted to the Bishop of Durham allowing the loading and unloading of goods on the Tyne within his bishopric. They state that the Bishop intends to create a market town at Gateshead, where no customs will be payable as it lies within the franchise, and state that whereas the people of Newcastle currently pay the king £100 a year for their fee farm and almost the same amount in taxes as York, if the charter is not revoked all the commons will move to Gateshead and the town will lie waste, paying nothing.
Nature of endorsement
[None]
Places mentioned
Newcastle upon Tyne, [Northumberland]
Northumberland
River Tyne
Gateshead, [County Durham]
York.
People mentioned
[John Fordham], Bishop of Durham.
Note
Dated by Fraser to 1384, with reference to the grant to Bishop Fordham on 28 December 1383 (in response to SC 8/250/12493), and an order to the Bishop ordering him to do nothing prejudicial to the people of Newcastle, issued on 25 June 1384, probably in response to this petition. The petition was presumably presented to the parliament of April-May 1384. The long preamble is almost identical to that of SC 8/129/6420, a petition of 1382 against the burgesses of King's Lynn.
Related material

For an earlier petition from the Bishop of Durham see SC 8/250/12493

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference
Parliamentary Petition 6052
Legal status
Public Record(s)
Language
French
Closure status
Open Document, Open Description
Publication note(s)
  • Ancient Petitions Relating to Northumberland, Ed. C.M. Fraser, (Surtees Society, vol. CLXXI, 1961), pp.257-9 (no.230) (full edition and discussion of petition)
  • Calendar of Charter Rolls, vol. V, 15 Edw III - 5 Hen V, 1341-1417, (Public Record Office, 1916), pp.290-1 (grant to the Bishop of Durham allowing loading of ships on the south bank of the Tyne)
  • Calendar of Close Rolls, Ric II, vol. II, 1381-1385, (Public Record Office, 1920), p.455 (order to the Bishop to respect the charters of Newcastle)
Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C9208601/

How to order it

  1. View this record page in our current catalogue
  2. Check viewing and downloading options
  3. Select an option and follow instructions
View this record page

Series information

SC 8

Special Collections: Ancient Petitions

See the series level description for more information about this record.

View series description

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

74,884 records

Within the department: SC

Records of various departments, arranged artificially according to type, and formerly...

18,283 records

Within the series: SC 8

Special Collections: Ancient Petitions

51 records

Within the piece: SC 8/129

6401-6450. Individual petitions are described , dated, and are available at item...

You are currently looking at the item: SC 8/129/6422

Commons of Newcastle upon Tyne. King and Council. The people of Newcastle request...

Related records

Records that share similar topics with this record.