PAYING IN FAGGOTS AND HORSESHOES.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 60, 18 December 1924, Page 1

PAYING IN FAGGOTS AND HORSESHOES.

In one of the temporary courts at the Manchester Law Courts on October 22 the 700-year-old ceremony took place of paying quit-rent 'services to

the Crown by the City Corporation in respect of a forge which once existed near St. Clement Danes Church, and a piece of land called the Moors, near Bridgnorth, Sliropsh.ire. The rent consists of two little faggots for the land and six horse shoes with 61 nails for the forge, though why they should be paid by the Corporation, which does not appear ever to have had anything to do with either of those properties, long since lost sight of, no one appears to know. The King’s Remembrancer, Sir T. Willes Chitty, who attended to receive the rent, said that the land for the forgo was granted by Henry 111. (o Walter le Brun in 1235, and the prescribed rent had been paid ever since. Tlie earliest record of the land In Shropshire went back to 1211.

The City Solicitor, Mr. Anthony Pickford, then with due gravity chopped in half two faggots of twigs, ono with a billhook and the other with a hatchet, both of which implements he handed to Sir Thomas. He also counted out the horse shoes and the 61 nails.