This is a charter of Henry II, date 1155.
Henry, King of England and Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and Count of Anjou, to Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Earls, Barons, Justices, Sheriffs and all men of his land, greeting. Know ye that I have granted to my burgesses of Bristol that they shall be quit of toll and passage and all custom throughout all my land of England, Normandy and Wales, wheresoever they and their goods shall come. Wherefore I will and firmly command that they shall have all their liberties and quittances and free customs fully and honourably as my free and faithful men and they shall be quit of toll and passage and all other custom. And I forbid that anyone disturb them hereupon, contrary to this my charter, upon forfeiture of £10. Witnesses: Thomas, the Chancellor, William, brother of the King, Reginald, Earl of Cornwall, Roger, Ea rl of Hereford, Patrick, Earl of Salisbury, Richard de Humez, the Constable, Warren fitz Gerard, the Chamberlain, Walter de Hereford, John Marshal. At Salisbury. Text from “The Little Red Book of Bristol,”
People from Bristol are entitled to live in Dublin thanks to a charter written by King Henry II almost 850 years ago – which has never been repealed. The parchment – which has gone on public display in the Dublin City Archives – was penned between 1171-72 and grants Bristolians the right to live in the Irish capital, so presumably the earlier charter hasn’t been repealed either.
Does this mean that anyone who lived in Bristol and used the Severn Crossing and paid the tolls is entitled to £10 refund for each crossing?
Does it also mean that anyone living in Bristol is exempt from Parking Charges, tolls ULEZ charges etc. in Bristol or anywhere in England and Wales?
Does this also confirm it?
John, Count of Moreton, 1188 Later King John.
John, Count of Moreton, to all men and to his friends, French and English, Welsh and Irish, present and to come, greeting. Know ye that I have granted and by this present charter have confirmed to my burgesses of Bristol dwelling within the walls and without the walls unto the metes of the town, to wit, between Sandbrook and Bewell and Brightneebridge and the spring in the way near Aldebury of Knowle, all their liberties and free customs, as well, freely and entirely, or more so, as ever they had them in my time or in the time of any of my predecessors. Now the liberties which have been granted to them are these, to wit: …………… And that they shall be quit of Toll and Lastage and Passage and Pontage and of all other customs throughout all my land and power.………….. And that if anyone anywhere in my land shall take Toll of the men of Bristol if he have not restored it after he shall have been required to restore [it], the Prepeositor of Bristol shall take thereupon a distress at Bristol and shall distrain to restore [it].
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