The Smugglers' City
Department of History, University of Bristol

Bristol Port Survey, 21 May 1565

Source: Transcribed by Evan Jones (2003) [checked 2]
Manuscript: PRO E159/350 hil, no. 348, r, v, seq.

Articles
to be enquired upon towchyng the porte of Bristoll & the ~
creekes belongyng to the same/ Inprimis [1] whether the ~
saide porte be commenly frequented & haunted with trafique of ~
merchauntes & merchundizes bothe inwarde & owtwarde and whether it
be mete to be contynued for the saide purpose/ Itm [2] whether
the saide porte be decayed & not so muche frequented & haunted
withe merchauntes & merchaundizes as some of the Creekes thereunto
belongyng nowe commonlye are   And howe longe the same hathe
ben decayed & by what ocasyon And if it be decayed whether it
be necessarye the same to be repayred & what costes & chardges
therof wolde be/ Itm [3] what custome howse dothe belonge to the
same porte & whose inheritaunce the same house ys and if it be
anye other then her majesties what yerely Rente is paide for the
same and howe commodious it stondeth for the service of her
highnes there And in what good state it ys of reparacions Itm [4]
what nombre of Crekes do belonge to the saide porte & howe farre
every of them ys distante from the said porte/ And how farre
every of them be distante from others/ And in to what sheres every
of the saide Creekes doe extende/ Itm [5] whiche of the saide
Creekes be most frequented & haunted with the trafique of merchaunts
& merchaundizes & are mete to be contynued for the same Itm [6]
whether any of the saide Creekes be decayed & not meete to be
contynued for trafique & howe longe the same hath byn decayed
& by what ocasyon/ And whether it be necessarye for the service
of her majestie & for the commonweale of the countrey thereabowte
to repaire the saide decayed Creke / And what the chardges therof
wylbe/ Itm [7] what Custome Howses doo belonge to every of the
saide Creekes And who are owners of the inheritaunce of the ~
same/ And what yerely rente her highnes stondes chardged
with for the same house/ And howe commodiouslye the same
howse stondeth for the service of her majestie & what state of
reparacions it ys Itm [8] what other house or place either where
the saide porte ys or where anye of the said Creeks be ~
stondeth more fytte & commodious for the better service of her ~
highnes then the howse or howses nowe used for the same
And who be the owner or owners of the saide howse or place
& what the value of them are to be purchaced or hyred for her
ma jestie. Itm [9] in howe many of the saide Creeks the Customs
of the saide porte have had Deputies or servaunts that have
taken entrees bothe Inwarde & outwarde within tene yeres

[new folio]

next before the first yere of her majesties Reigne/ and who be presently
there Deputies their/ And howe longe they have so contynued/
Itm [10] whether there be any placys within the lymyttes of the saide
porte or severall Creekes that wares or merchundizes be used
to be taken in, or dischardged other than at the acustomed place
of the said porte or Creekes/ And if there be any such places
howe longe the same hath byn used for that purpose/ And whether
it be mete to continewe or dampne the same for the better service
of her majestie & of those parties ye or not: Itm [11] what other places
be within the said Shire where wares merchaundizes victualles
or other commodities of the Realme be transported into any of
the parties of beyonde the sea, or to any porte or Creeke within
the Realme/ Itm [12] whether any merchaunt or other that use to
trafique beyonde the Sea, or from porte to porte within the ~
Realme have any warehouses or storehouses or any other device
or meanes nighe unto the porte or anye of the Creekes or places
where ladyng or unladyng ys or hath bynne used to be whereby
her majestie hath byn or maye be defrawded of her majesties duties &
customes/.

[Report of the Commissioners, 21 May 1565 ]

Bristol . The certificate of Anthony
Standbank maior of the Citye of Bristow Richarde Barkeley
esquier David Harrys Alderman & Nicholas Wyllyams ~
Commyssyoners named & appointed by the quenes highnes commission
to them & others directed & to thies partes annexed comprehendyng
the execucyon of the same accordyng to tenor & purporte of the
same Commyssyon & of the Articles of the same fixed as well at
there assemblie at the saide Citie of Bristowe the viii th day of
Aprell Anno Regini Regime Elizabeth ~ /Septimo/ As also at Bristowe
& Lawffordes gate in the Countie of Gloucester at diverse tymes after
as hereafter ansreth/. In primis [1] , to the first Article we the
saide Commissioners saye that the saide porte of Bristowe is ~
commenly frequented and haunted with traffique of merchauntes & ~
merchaundizes bothe inwarde and outwarde and ys mete to have ~
contynuance for that purpose & ys one of the principall portes of
thys Realme & a place where great traffique & trade of merchaundizes
ys used/ Itm [2] to the seconde Article we saye that the same porte
ys not decayed but in good state and well frequented and haunted with
merchauntes and merchaundizes (as above saide) & no Creeke thereunto ~
belongyngyng so frequented/ Itm [3] to the thirde Article, we saye ~
that no custome house dothe belonge to the saide porte, but that
the Customers do heire a howse for that purpose of one Wyllyam
Tucker of Bristowe Draper from yere to yere, whiche Wyllyam ~
Tucker hathe a State for Tearme of yeares in the same/ And the
saide customers paye to hym for the same house xlvi s viii d a
yere & that the inheritaunce of the same apperteyneth to Rowlande ~
Okever of London myllyner / And that the same howse stondeth
very aptelye for the service of the quenes highnes & ys in good
reparacions, & that the same reparacions ys borne by the saide ~
Wyllyam Tucker / Itm [4] to the fourthe Article we also saye
that to the saide porte doo belonge fiftie and nyne Creekes
kayes pylles and havens, which be in thies partz hereafter named
with their distances from the saide porte & their distances
one from another togyther with names of the Shires in to the
which they doo extende Viz   Com, Somers et , In Primis
the keye of Bristowe ys three myles from St Katheryns pylle /
ffrom St Katheryns pylle to Crokarne pyle a quarter of a myle/
ffrom Crokarne pylle to the haven mowthe of the porte of
Brystowe two myles The haven of Bristowe / The ~
haven mowthe,
{com Glouc}
ffrom the kaye of bristowe to the Seamyll
pille is two myles/ ffrom Seamyll pille to Brode pille a
myle/ From Brode pille to the haven mowthe of the porte of
Bristowe thre myles /
{Com Glouc on the Englysheside}
ffrom the haven mowthe to Skeys
pille a quarter of a myle / ffrom Skeys pille to mere pille a
quarter of a myle / ffrom mere pille to Battens pill a quarter
of a myle / ffrom Battens pille to Stope pill di mile / ffrom
Stope pill to Newpill di myle / ffrom Newpill to ~
Chesell pill two myles / ffrom Chesell pill to Awst pill
thre myles / ffrom Awst pill to Litleton pill two myles / ffrom
Litleton pill to Cowhill pill one mile / ffrom Cowhill pile
to Oldebery pill di mile / ffrom Oldebery pill to Shepp er dyns
pille two miles / ffrom Shepperdyns pille to Newark pill a

[new folio]

quarter of a mile / ffrom Newarkpille to Newthrough pyll a
mile / ffrom Newthrough pyll to Comynger pill half a mile /
ffrom Commynger pill to Barkeley haven a quarter of a myle /
ffrom Barkelye haven to Hallow Hasyll pill half a mile / ffrom
Halowe Hasell pill to Oynmore pill a quarter of a mile / ffrom
Oynmore pyll to Fframptons pill iii miles /  ffrom Fframptons pill
to Churche pill di quarter of a mile/ ffrom Churche pill to ~
Gible gutters pill a quarter of a mile/ ffrom Gible gutters pill
to hoke pill half a mile / ffrom Hooke pille to olde pill a mile /
ffrom olde pill to Ffromylode pill thre miles di / ffrom Fromylode
pill to Etneys pill a quarter of a mile / ffrom Etneys pill to
the keye of the citie of Gloucester five miles / ffrom the key of
Gloucester to the key of Tewxberye seven miles /
{Com Wigorn upon the Englyshside}
ffrom Tewxbery
kaye to the keye of Worciter in the Countie of Worciter xii
myles. The Ryver of Saverne. Com Glouc ester
upon the Welshe side / Inmar pill thre miles distant ffrom
the passage called Becheley & to the haven mouthe of Bristowe
sixe miles/ ffrom Inmar pill to Waldons pill a mile / ffrom Waldons
pill to Horsepill a quarter of mile / ffrom Horsepill to Walke pill
a mile / ffrom Walke pill to Lee pill a quarter of a mile / ffrom Lee
pill to Conpill a quarter of a mile / ffrom Conpill to Elberton
pill xx tie paces / ffrom Elbertons pill to Lydneys pill ii miles /
ffrom Lydney pill to Pirton pill thre miles / ffrom Pirton pill
to Gatcombe Creke half a mile / ffrom Gatcombes Creeke to ~
Bromerspill one mile / ffrom Bromerspill to Oldand pill a quarter
of a mile / ffrom Oldlande pill to Throughpill a quarter of a mile
ffrom Throughpill to Stockwell pill a mile / ffrom Stockwell
pill to Ffulmede pill a quarter of a mile / ffrom Fulmede pill to
Perry pill a quarter of a mile / ffrom perry pill to Bullowe pill
half a quarter of a mile / ffrom Bullowe pill to Callowe pill
a quarter of a mile / ffrom Callowe pill to Caporne pill xx tie
paces / ffrom Caporne pill to Newnam Creeke a quarter of a
myle / ffrom Newnam Creeke to Hawkeybridge pill a quarter of
a mile / ffrom Hawkeybridge to Brode Oke pill a quarter of a
myle / ffrom Brode oke pill to Garnespill a quarter of a myle /
ffrom Garnerspill to the bridge or keye of Gloucester seven miles / ffrom
Gloucester bridge to Hanley Creke xi miles in the countie of Worcester
{Com Wigon upon the Welshside}
ffrom Hanley creeke to Worcester bridge or key eight miles/ Itm [5]
to the v th Article we saye that the above saide keys of Worcester
Tewxbery & Glocister, Barkeley Haven Newnam key & Gattcombe
key be most frequented & haunted with trafique of merchaunts &  merchundizes &
are all meete to be continued for the same purpose (savinge ~
Gatcombe key) whiche key of Gatcombe liethe so covereth upon
the same Ryver that great conveyance of grayne lether & other
commodities prohibited to be transported beyond the seas ys used
there to the great hurte & discommoditie of the countrey thereabout
& to the great advancement of the prices of grayne lether &
other commodities afore saide / Itm [6] to the sixth article we aunswere
that none of the saide creekes havens keys nor pills is decayed /
Itm [7] to the vii th Article we aunswere that no Custome House doth
belonge to any of the saide creeks havens keys or pilles for
that the Customes & other duties due to the queens highnes
for any merchundize or Wares taken in or dischardged in any of
the saide places be aunswered at the Custome House of Bristowe
& there the merchaunts receive there Cockettes & certificates for the
same upon there entries & not else where / Itm [8] to the viii th
Article we saye that there is no other house or place either
where the porte ys, or where any of the places afore saide be,
that stondeth more fitte & commodious than the Customehouse
situat at the saide porte of Bristowe, for that we suppose
her Customes & duties growing within the said Creekes &
other places will not be able to aunswere suche chardges as
the prince shalbe at in the erectinge & maynteyning of any other
Custome Howse or howses/ Item [9] to the ix th article we Aunswere
that the Customers of the saide porte have had no Deputies or
servauntes that have taken entries Inwardes & owtwardes within tenne
yeres next before the said first yere of her majesties Reigne/ Itm [10] to the
x th Article we saye that Stopepill Chesell pill Awstpill Oldbery
pill Litleton pill Cowhill pill Sheperdynes pill Newark pill
Comynger pill Newthrough pill Hallowhasell plll Oymore pill
Fframptons pill Oldpole Hockpill Hanley key Garnespill Bromerspill
Pirtins pill Lyndeys pill Alebton poll Conpill Leepole Wawk
pill Horsepill & Inner pill Percell of the keys pilles & Creekes ~
above recyted are places where wares & merchaundizes to be taken in
have of longe tyme & yet be used to be taken in & dischargded ~
And notwithstonding be not onye of the places appointed for that
purpose for the accustomed places lymyted for wares & merchaundizes
to be taken in & dischardged be Worcester key, Tewxbery key Glouceter

[new folio]

key Barkeley Haven Newnam key & Gatcombe Creeke And so by
meanes of takyng in and dischardgyng of wares & merchundizes in the
saide places not lymyted for that purpose, great conveyaunce of ~
grayne lether & other commodities is used to the great ympoverishment
of the Countrey thereaboute & therefore the saide places are not mete
to have contynuaunce, but some devise & meanes to be used to lett [hinder]
the commyng in of vesselles & botes thither, And notwithstondyng the
same places not to be dammed because they be places by the which
the water avoideth owt of the lowe Countreys thereaboutes & be
places to lande wood & other thynges that the inhabitauntes there
aboutes carye & recarye ffrom place to place /  Itm [11] to the xi th
Article we Awnswere that diverse persons do with their plowes [carts]
bringe Corne grayne lether Calfe Skynnes Victualles & other
commodities of this Realme to botes barckes & vesselles lyeng at
the bankes of the saide River of Severne at full Sea / And there
doo lade the same in to the saide botes & Vesselles secretlye
in the night & from thense doo transporte the same into diverse
partes beyonde the Seas & to other portes and Crekes within
the Realme without licence or aunsweryng of the quenes ~
dueties / Itm [12] to the xii th article we saye that at Conpill ~
Gatcombe Creeke & Brodeoke pill be diverse store howses &
Sellers by the whiche secrett conveyaunce of grayne lether &
other commodities is used, whiche storehouses & sellers ware
verie expedient to be subverted & taken awaye, for that bothe
the quenes majestie ys thereby deceived of her Custome & duties
& the Countreys thereabowtes muche dampnyfied & hurte. / All
which premysses we the above Commyssyoners have
to the uttermoste of our knowledge examyned perused & viewed
aswell by conference with theinhabitaunts inhabityng in the saide
porte & aboute the Creekes & other places above saide as also
by our personall repaire & accesse [assessment] to the saide porte & to all the
Creekes & places above saide & by the veredictes of juries ~
sworne in that behalf ./.

Notes:
Exctracts of the above survey have been published in : J. Vanes (ed.), Documents Illustrating the Overseas Trade of Bristol in the Sixteenth Century, (Bristol Record Society Publications, Vol. XXXI, Kendal, 1979), 39-40.

Glossary of Place Names:
Not all the places mentioned in the text have yet been identified and some of the pills (tidal creeks) do not exist any more. Many of the pills mentioned are very small, some being no more than five metres accross at high tide and perhaps a metre accross at low tide.

Awst pill: Aust Pill
Barkeley haven: Barkley
Becheley: Beachley
Brode Oke pill: Broad Oak Pill
Bromerspill: Brimspill
Bullowe pill: Bullo Pill
Callowe pill: Callow Pill
Chesell pill: Chestle Pill
Conpill: Cone Pill
Cowhill pill: Cowhill Pill
Crokarne pyle: Pill
Elberton pill: Alyburton Pill
Etneys pill: Epney Pill
Fromylode pill: Framilode Pill
Framptons pill: Frampton Pill
Gatcombe Creke: Gatcombe
Haven mowthe: Avonmouth
Hoke pill / Hooke pill: Hock Pill
Horsepill: Horse Pill
Inmar pill: ? Sturch Pill. By Inward Rocks.
Lee pill: Ley Pill
Litleton pill: Littleton Pill
Lydneys pill: Lydney Pill
Newark pill: Hill Pill
Newnam Creeke: Newnham
Newpill: New Pill
Oldebery pill: Oldbury Pill
Pirton pill: Purton
Seamyll: Sea Mills
Shepperdynes pille: Shepperdine Pill
St Katheryns pylle: Chapel Pill
Stope pill: Stup Pill
Waldons pill: ? Waldings Pill
Walke pill: Grange Pill