Pavage Grants and Urban Street Paving in Medieval England, 1249–1462

Abstract

Going back to the time of Henry III, pavage grants were presented by the Crown to the burgesses, bailiffs, and mayors of English towns, allowing those officials to assess tolls on imports and exports. They used the funds from these tolls for paving and repairing streets. The records of pavage grants are found primarily in the Calendar of Patent Rolls. The demands of an increasingly commercial economy that required better roads to lower transport costs and enable faster delivery to market are reflected in the local and national concern regarding urban street paving. In addition, the rising investment in public works by the Crown and local officials is reflected by the increase in the number of grants between the mid-thirteenth century and the mid-fifteenth. Greater commercialisation throughout England was promoted by use of the grants to improve roads.