PORTMOTE COURT : FINE FILES

Until the early years of the 16th century, the feet of the fines levied in the Portmote Court were attached to the Portmote court rolls, and many of these feet of fines are still attached to the later court rolls. However, in the early years of the 16th century, separate files began to be kept at intervals of the writs of covenant, and dedimus potestatem and the affidavits and for the concords as well as the well as the feet of fines relating to the fines levied in the Portmote court. These files were not kept systematically until the early years of the 17th century, and many of the small files which survive for the 16th century have been broken and the original order lost. These 16th century files have, therefore, been grouped together under regnal years as ZM/PF/1.

In addition, these files, from the mid 16th century onwards, also contain writs quod reddat, of summons, dedimus potestatem, and for the delivery of seisin, as well as the appointment of attorneys, relating to common recoveries suffered in the Portmote court, and also occasionally to other pleas concerning land, usually found in the Mayors' Files. After 1600, however, the documents relating to common recoveries found on these files are mainly those of dedimus potestatem and the appointment of attorneys.

Fines and recoveries were abolished in 1833 by the Act for the abolition of Fines and Recoveries, 3 and 4 William IV c.74.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Unfortunately all these documents are filed in large bundles still attached to the original leather thong. They are very dirty and impossible to consult without the possibility of damaging the documents.

They form part of the City Record Office Conservation Programme but each file takes several months to repair. The City Record Office contains several hundred of these files and it will take some considerable time to complete the programme.

If you urgently need to consult the documents please speak to the Archivist about the possibility of some remedial conservation work being carried out.