BRIDPORT HARBOUR. 173 



help, that he may levy from St. Andrew's Day next for three 

 years, one halfpenny upon every horseload of saleable goods 

 imported or exported thence, applying the money so raised to the 

 construction of the harbour only, (a) 



Pat. roll, 9 Rich. II., p. 1, m. 20. 



1388. 8 Dec. A similar grant to John Huderesfeld for another 

 three years from St. Andrew's Day next, upon the same conditions. 



Pat. Roll, 12 Rich. II., p. 1, m. 3. 



1392-3. 6 Feb. A grant to the Bailiffs on their petition that 

 having begun to build a harbour at great labour and expense, 

 where there was previously none (portus prius non-existet), they 

 were unable to finish it. A similar toll may be collected for three 

 years from the feast of the Purification last past, to be used for the 

 construction of the harbour and for no other purposes. 



Pat. Roll, 16 Rich. II., p. 2, m. 20. 



1395. 24 Oct. Enquiry to be made as to Wm. Laton, controller 

 of customs at Bridport and other places, for having also acted as 

 collector and searcher and for having retained the seals. 

 Pat. roll, 19 Rich. II., p. 1, m. 9, dors. 



This mention of a Customs officer indicates that shipping 

 used the port at that time, otherwise his presence would 

 have been unnecessary. It is also noticeable that the three 

 grants ignore the vexed question of keelage or no keelage, 

 and limit the dues to goods only. In the absence of any 

 information to the contrary I assume that the harbour begun 

 by Huderesfeld, and completed by the burgesses, served its 

 purpose for about half a century, until the winter storms 

 destroyed whatever had been done. 



I have already shewn that the relations between the town 

 and the ecclesiastical powers of the neighbourhood were of a 

 very unfriendly nature as regards the trade on the coast, 

 but we now approach a happier period during which the 

 Church and the civil authorities worked hand in hand to 

 promote the welfare of the harbour. The effect of this 

 alliance can best be illustrated from the contents of the 



(a) Hutchins, vol. 2, p. 15, gives the toll as one farthing, but the 

 original clearly reads unum obolum. 



