Welsh Journals

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after the burgesses' interests. In 1772 it was resolved that even burges- ses would have to pay for grazing rights-horse 6s., cow 3s. 6d., and to prevent overgrazing, no sheep, geese, or hogs were to be allowed from that time onward. Also, only those burgesses who paid rates and taxes were to be allowed grazing rights, the others had to make a special payment for this right. It was becoming increasingly difficult to control the use made of the commons the increase in population and attempts at enclosure meant that the town authorities had continually to assert their claims to these lands. Occasionally the commons would be let to someone as in 1755 when Thomas Pryse, Surveyor of the port of Aberystwyth, took all the town commons lying between the rivers Rheidol and Ystwyth for a period of seven years at 2os. a year. The town lands lying between the Rheidol and the road to Penparcau were similarly rented for 2 years at 10s. per annum, the money to be used for the Benefitt of the Inhabitants of the said Town.' Others were let on condition that the tenant repaired and erected fences. Thus did the town authorities try to lighten the burden of looking after these commons. The time was not far off when they would be forced to give up their hold on some of them.88 The maintenance of law and order followed the pattern of the period. In accordance with the law, Aberystwyth had its House of Correction where vagabonds, sturdy beggars, and others were supposed to be taught how to live useful lives. In 1663 this building was in Bridge Street where it may have remained until the eighteenth century.89 In 1752, the local Justices of the Peace were being asked to look for a site for the building but it was not until seven years later that a house situate in Darkgate Street' was found to be convenient. The rent was to be 3s. and the keeper's salary 30s. per annum. Thirty years later the town was again without this institution and members of the Court of Quarter Sessions were maintaining that it was highly necessary to build a House of Correction in the Town of Aberystwyth for the purpose of punishing, keeping, correcting, and setting to work Rogues, Vagabonds or sturdy beggars and other idle and disorderly persons travelling along, residing in, or resorting to this county.' A local carpenter was paid to measure out and plan out a piece of ground but nothing seems to have come of this. Three years later Richard Foy of the Gogerddan Arms was paid £ 50 for a piece of ground which was destined for a House of Correction but was never used for this purpose.40 It was not until 1799 that the building was ready for occupation, with Thomas Clayton as Master, and it was located on the site occupied by the old police station at the lower end of Great Darkgate Street.*1 The punishment of offenders often took a severe corporal form. In 1739 it was ordered that Rees Williams convicted of petty larceny be