Portreeve
Encyclopedia
A portreeve, or 'port warden' is a historical British political appointment with a fluctuating role which evolved over time.
The origins of the position are in the reign of Edward the Elder
, who, in order to ensure that taxes were correctly exacted, forbade the conducting of trades outside of a 'port' or duly appointed place for trading, and without the supervision of a portreeve or other trustworthy person. At this time therefore, they had a role as a fiscal supervisor, much like modern customs and revenue officers.
By the late Middle Ages they acted as a representative of the people to ensure that their duties to the mayor and community were fulfilled; in some cases (and usually more recently) the role was also that of mayor. In some cases the portreeve also acted as a returning officer at elections.
Contemporary British towns which still nominally have or appoint a portreeve include Laugharne (Carmarthenshire, home of Dylan Thomas
), Ashburton
(the only town in the country where the office is still held by act of parliament), Beccles
, Callington (where the name is given to the council chairman)http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=17340243&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174, Cheevel and Yeovil
.
The origins of the position are in the reign of Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex...
, who, in order to ensure that taxes were correctly exacted, forbade the conducting of trades outside of a 'port' or duly appointed place for trading, and without the supervision of a portreeve or other trustworthy person. At this time therefore, they had a role as a fiscal supervisor, much like modern customs and revenue officers.
By the late Middle Ages they acted as a representative of the people to ensure that their duties to the mayor and community were fulfilled; in some cases (and usually more recently) the role was also that of mayor. In some cases the portreeve also acted as a returning officer at elections.
Contemporary British towns which still nominally have or appoint a portreeve include Laugharne (Carmarthenshire, home of Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
), Ashburton
Ashburton, Devon
Ashburton is a small town on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, adjacent to the A38 Devon Expressway.It was formerly important as a stannary town , and remains the largest town within the National Park, with a population of around 3,500...
(the only town in the country where the office is still held by act of parliament), Beccles
Beccles
Beccles is a market town and civil parish in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 Blythburgh and A12 road, northeast of London as the crow flies, southeast of Norwich, and north northeast of the county town of...
, Callington (where the name is given to the council chairman)http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=17340243&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174, Cheevel and Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
.