Page:The Victoria History of the County of Surrey Volume 3.djvu/68

 A HISTORY OF SURREY

��the town a weekly market on Wednesdays," thus forgoing her own right as lady of the manor to the market granted by Edward I. She also granted them an annual fair to last three days, beginning on the eve of Candlemas Day, which did not interfere, however, with her own manorial fair held in June. 34 The warden was to collect the tolls of market and fair for the maintenance of the town. The queen herself appointed the first warden, John Perrior," to hold office till the following Michaelmas, at which time a warden was to be nominated by the chief inhabitants of the town in the presence of the other inhabitants, and then elected by the majority. In the follow- ing reign ordinances were drawn up ' for the better order and government of the town,' S6 directing that there should be eight assistants chosen from such

���GODALMING : OLD BRICK HOUSES (see p,

��inhabitants as had borne office as bailiff, constable, or tithingman, to be elected for life by the warden and inhabitants, a warden chosen by the majority of the assistants from their own number, and a bailiff elected yearly from those who were capable of being constable or tithingmen. The warden and assistants had power to levy assessments on the householders, more especially for the repair of the town clock, and opposition to them might be punished by dis- franchisement.

The present extent of the borough of Godalming dates from November 1 894."

Before its incorporation by Elizabeth there were no traces of any institutions which might indicate the existence of a borough. During the lordship of the Bishops of Salisbury, Godalming was merely a market

town with an annual fair held by the bishop under a royal grant of 1 300." In the Nomina Villarum of 1315 it is not distinguished as a borough. Constantly in the Hundred Rolls per- sons are presented for carrying on trades out- side Godalming because in so doing they are extra villam mercatoriam.. They seem to have been content with fines time after time, especially for the privilege of dress- ing leather where they pleased. In 1563 God- aiming was constituted a market town by statute. 39 * The great industry in. the 1 6th century was in woollen stuffs. The trade was in decay in the I /th century. 40 Shortly after the ordinances of James I the townspeople were in. great distress, for in 1 630 they were suffering from want of a market for their manufactuies, chiefly Hampshire kersey s, 41 whilst a few years before they had been obliged to postpone their fair for fear of the plague, 41 but were nevertheless visited by the dread sickness in 1 636-7." The present industries are tanning (Westbrook) and paper- ma k i n g (Catteshull). There are also flour-mills

��88 In 1674. the day of the market was changed from Wednesday to Friday, but had returned to Wednesday by the 19th century. Col. S.P. Dam. 1673-5,

P- 95-

w See Chart R. 28 Edw. I, m. 6 ; Add. MS, 6167, fol. 167 ; Parl. Papers, 1835, 'v, 735 t >eq.

��85 See f.C.H. Surr. ii, 346-7, and Surr. Arch. Coll. xix.

86 See Parl. Pafers, 1835, xxiv, 735.

Confirm. Act (No. n), 9 Nov. 1892.
 * > Under Loc. Govt. Bd. Orders

88 Chart. R. 28 Edw I, m. 6, no. 24. It may be this grant which gave rise to the tradition that the town had a royal charter in 1300 ; cf. Parl. Pafers, 1835,

30

��xxiv, 735. The market-day recited was Monday, and the fair was held on the eve, dny, and morrow of St. Peter and St. Paul.

89 5 Eliz. cap. 4, sec. 44.

40 V.C.H. Surr. ii, 342.

41 Cat. S.P. Dam. 1629-31, p. 391.: Ibid. 1625-6, p. 45.

"Ibid. 1636-7, p. 353.

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