You are in: Places > Piercy (1828) > FIRST ESTABLISHMENT OF CORPORATIONS.

	John Shadrach Piercy
	Hundred of Bassetlaw \| Derivation of the Town's name \| General description
	Prefatory observations \| Extracts from the Doomsday Book \| Public and private grants, &c. chronologically arranged
	First establishment of corporations \| Recapitulation of ancient grants, charters, &c. \| Charter of King James I.
	State of the representation \| Contested elections \| Election of 1826 \| List of representatives
	Antiquity of the office of bailiff \| Aldermen of 1607 \| List of bailiffs from 1700 \| Present body corporate
	Places of public worship \| The Parish Church \| The Methodist chapel \| The Independent Dissenters' chapel
	The Free Grammar School \| The National School \| Sleswicke's hospital \| The Alms Houses \| The Dorcas Charity
	Public buildings, works &c. \| The Square, &c. \| The Town Hall \| The Theatre \| The News Room \| The Post Office \| The Bank \| The Workhouse \| The bridge \| The Broad Stone
	The Great North Road \| The Deanry of Retford \| The Chesterfield Canal \| The River Idle \| The Cars and Commons
	Miscellaneous articles \| The Savings' Bank \| Mr Holmes' Room \| Mr John Hudson's Room \| Biographical sketches
	West Retford \| General description \| The Parish Church \| Catalogue of the Rectors \| Holy Trinity Hospital \| The Free School \| Baptists' Meeting House \| Family of the Denmans
	Babworth \| General description \| The Parish Church \| The hamlet of Ranby \| The hamlet of Moreton
	Ordsall \| General description \| The hamlet of Thrumpton \| Whitehouses \| The Parish Church \| Catalogue of Rectors
	Grove \| General description \| Castle Hill Wood \| The Parish Church \| Catalogue of Rectors \| Family of the Eyres
	Clarborough \| General description \| The Parish Church \| Catalogue of vicars \| The hamlet of Bolham \| Hamlet of Welham \| Hamlets of Moorgate and Spittal-Hill \| Hamlet of Little Greenley

	Map 1. The Retford area in 1836
	Map 2. East and West Retford in 1836
	Map 3. Detailed map of East and West Retford (1835)

CHAP. III.

FIRST ESTABLISHMENT OF CORPORATIONS.

AT what period the first establishment of Communities or Corporations took place, seems involved in mystery, and several of our most celebrated historians are by no means agreed upon the subject. Some are of opinion that incorporations did not take place, in this country, until after the Norman conquest; amongst these may be reckoned Hume, Robertson, and others; the latter of whom observes, that charters of Community were first introduced into France and other countries of Europe, about the years 1108 and 1137. Authorities like these, it must be acknowledged, are not easily overturned; nevertheless, Lord Littleton, on the other hand remarks, that "It is not improbable that some towns in England were formed into Corporations under the Saxon kings, and that the charters granted by the kings of the Norman race, were not charters of enfranchisement from a state of slavery, but confirmations of privileges which they already enjoyed."

Which of these opinions may be correct is not for me to determine; no record of antiquity, sufficient to solve the mystery, having come under my observation during the research which I have made amongst the ancient documents pertaining to the Corporation of East Retford.

East Retford is a Borough by prescription,* and is undoubtedly of very high antiquity; but whatever its age may be, it is to be feared the name of its original patron must for ever remain involved in obscurity.

In making out a regular series of the various charters, &c. which have, at different periods, been given to this town, considerable difficulty has arisen in consequence of some being lost, others, from the length of time passed away since they were granted, and from various other causes, have become illegible, and the dates of the remainder being frequently at variance with each other. To one of the above causes, I am inclined to believe, may be attributed the misfortune to which allusion has previously been made. In order, therefore, to supply this defect, conjecture must be had resource to, which will, almost beyond dispute, fix it upon Richard I.* commonly called Coeur de Lion, as the original benefactor of the Borough. The charter, however, is not at present in existence, but judging from the tenor of certain ancient documents which I have perused, the incorporation must have taken place between the years 1185 and 1200, and during the intervening period, the name of Richard I. is not unfrequently mentioned.

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