248 THE BRIDGNORTH COMPANY OF SMITHS April Shropshire.^ The closest parallel to the Bridgnorth company of smiths, &c., is the Ludlow company of hammermen, fully described in the Shropshire Archaeological Society's Transactions (1st series, vol. xi). This used to meet in the south aisle of Ludlow parish church ; its charter was obtained (1511) from the bailiffs and town council of Ludlow and its proceedings began to be recorded in 1539, The list of weapons, &c., belonging to the Ludlow company is longer than that given above, but they are of much the same kind. The Ludlow company, to judge by its records, feasted much more than did the smiths of Bridgnorth, but it must be remembered that Ludlow was rather famous for its inns. The history of the Ludlow company can be traced down to its extinction in the nineteenth century, and its charter of incorporation, two ancient oaken boxes, and various documents are now preserved in the Ludlow Museum. In all probability the Bridgnorth company of smiths died out shortly after 1752 : Bridgnorth is near Coalbrookdale, one of the centres where the iron industry of the eighteenth century was specially active, and in 1760 the Dale company leased the town's mills near Bridgnorth for a forge. 2 There is nothing in the guild-book about the company's extinction : up to 1752 the annual entries go on as they had done for over a hundred and fifty years, and in 1750 the ' fratumity ' met ' on Corpus Christy ' as, doubtless, it had met in pre- Reformation days.' Its records are of interest as throwing some light on industrial organization in a country town during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, a subject which demands extensive local research. Caroline A. J. Skeel.
- Some of the crafts represented in the company of smiths are mentioned in an
extract from the great Leet Book of the borough, which I owe to the kindness of the Rev. W. G. Clark Maxwell, Rector of St. Leonard's, Bridgnorth. ' Hit is ordent bi us xxiiij"' aboffe rehersid by the acente and concente of Thomas Hord Steward of this sayd townne for the tyme beyng that for this day foreward that all maner of handcraftimen that is to say Carpynters Tylers Schynglers Sawers Plumbers Cowpers all such other schall not be warind for to come to townne to worcke and no mon hem for to lett. And that hit shall be lawful to all maner of men them for to sett awerke and no mon say nor do the contrary in payne that may fall therof that is to say vjs. viiid. halfe to be payde to the bayleff for the tyme beyng. And the other alfe to the use & profett of the commyns of the seid towne and that all such crafty men schall tAke by day accordyng to the statute. . . .' This ordinance of the burgesses comes immediately before a record dated 7 Henry VII, and is therefore probably not more than a year or two later than 1500. It is directed against a monopoly claimed or in process of being established by the craftsmen mentioned : it may represent only a passing disagreement, but at any rate seems to indicate that the guild had no charter of incorporation at that, if at any, time.
- Victoria County History, Shropshire, i. 467.
- The adherence of the clerks to old phraseology is noticeable ; money is still
reckoned in maito in some of the seventeenth century entries, and even as late as 1704, and in 1690 the phrase ' fraternity or com brotherhood ' occurs.
