Borough of Usk Records

Records of the Borough of Usk, 1740-1922, comprising records of the Court Leet and Borough Court, 1740-1886, including court books, 1775-1886, warrants, 1778-1870, and presentments, 1740-1870; administrative records, 1791-1885, including proceedings of meetings, 1829-1885, and correspondence, 1821-1885; miscellaneous accounts, 1832-1865; records of elections and registration, 1747, 1773-1881; records of Corporation property, 1829-1861; Usk Relief Fund accounts and minutes, 1895-1922.

The town of Usk, Monmouthshire, had ancient origins, being known to the Romans as Burrium. Its first charter was granted in the 14th century by Elizabeth de Burgh (b. 1332), wife of Lionel Plantagenet, third son of Edward III. The borough corporation had the formal title of the Portreeve and Burgesses of Usk. Its officers were the Portreeve (elected annually), the Recorder (appointed by the Lord of the Borough, the Duke of Beaufort), two constables, two assistant constables and two Bailiffs (positions usually given to the constables). Former Portreeves had the title of Alderman. The Borough held two courts, the Borough Court of the Lord of the Manor and the Court-leet. In 1873 the town adopted the Local Government Act 1858. This created Usk Local Board which effectively governed the town until the creation of Usk Urban District Council in 1894. The corporation continued to exist for a while in order to administer the property it owned in the town but was abolished on 29 September 1886 by order of the Local Government Board.

Arranged into the following: borough books; burgess rolls; lists of freemen and electors; poll books; miscellaneous bundles.

No restrictions

Deposited by Usk Urban District Council.

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Gwent Record Office, List of the Records of the Ancient Borough of Usk; Monmouthshire Record Office, Guide to the Monmouthshire Record Office (Monmouthshire Record Office, 1959); Bradney, Joseph, A History of Monmouthshire, Volume 3, Part 1: The Hundred of Usk (Part 1) (London, 1993); The National Register of Archives (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra), viewed 5 January 2006.

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Gwent Record Office.

Usual copyright regulations apply

All records have been retained

Accruals are not expected

Further records of the Borough of Usk are Gwent Record Office, D. 749.70-92.