Rights and Privileges - Nottingham's Charters
From the Norman period in the twelfth century until the Municipal Corporation Act of 1835, Nottingham was administered by privileges granted by the crown. These privileges were recorded in charters issued by the king or queen.
Charters were royal documents issued to towns and other important institutions. They set out rights, privileges and obligations. The first charter of Nottingham was granted in about 1155 and is the earliest written record of the town.
The charters were addressed to the town's burgesses. The burgesses formed the governing body of the town. They were also the principal landowners. The charters allowed the burgesses to acquire various rights and privileges. Over the course of 250 years and many charters they acquired great trading and governing rights and complete autonomy from the county sheriff.
1155: under this charter, granted by Henry II, the burgesses were given the right to:
- charge tolls on tradesmen who entered the town
- charge tolls on goods passing along the river Trent
- try thieves captured in the town
- hold a market on Saturdays
- have a monopoly on working dyed cloths for a vicinity of about ten miles.
1284: under this charter, granted by Edward I:
- the burgesses could elect a mayor
- they could also elect two bailiffs (tax collectors)
- in addition to the September fair (later Goose fair), a 15-day fair could be held in November
- for these privileges, the burgesses had to pay a yearly tax of £52 - £60 to the king - a huge sum at that time.
1449: under this charter, granted by Henry VI:
- Nottingham was to be a 'corporation', able to govern its own affairs
- Nottingham was autonomous, independent of the county sheriff, and a county in its own right
- The castle (and its brewhouse, the modern Brewhouse Yard) was extra parochial, and so remained separate to the corporation
- The Shire Hall was also separate, remaining as part of the county until 1974
- New officers were to be created, including a Sheriff of Nottingham and seven Aldermen who acted as Justices of the Peace and who elected the Mayor from among themselves
- The Nottingham aldermen could wear scarlet robes, to signify their rank and status
- New courts including a Quarter Sessions were established.
The 1449 charter established a system of administration controlled by the Mayor and the Aldermen, who used a council to govern the town. They were concerned with keeping the peace, regulating trade and settling disputes. This continued until the whole structure was changed to a town council with many different departments in 1835.
At Nottinghamshire Archives
Charters: Nottinghamshire Archives holds all surviving borough and city charters, which date between c 1155 and 1974. These include:
- The charter of Henry II, c 1155 (reference: CA 4151)
The charter of Edward I, 1284, has not survived. A copy exists on the Charter Rolls at The National Archives: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Nottinghamshire Archives holds a copy of this Charter Roll (reference: CA 4191).
The charter of Henry VI, 1449, has also not survived. A copy of this charter exists on the Patent Rolls at The National Archives: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Nottingham Archives holds a copy of this Patent Roll (reference: CA 4197).
Other records which Nottinghamshire Archives holds include Letters Patent. These were grants, confirmations of charters and other rights and privileges issued by the King to the burgesses of Nottingham (reference: CA various). They were called Letters Patent because the document was issued open, with a seal at the bottom, so that everyone could read them. Private documents were called Letters Close.
Illustrations
Top left: Detail of a grant of Edward VI, 1551 (reference: CA 4176). See this illustration in more detail [PDF 2267KB] 
Top right: Charter of Henry II, c 1155 (reference: CA 4151). See this charter in more detail here [PDF 916KB]
Above right: Letters patent of Henry III, 1265 (reference: CA 4157). See this document in more detail here [PDF 8.9MB]
