Hi Folks,
William FitzOsberne, one of William the Conqueror's companions, controlled the Forest of Dean iron mines, which had had free miner's rights 'since time out of mynde'. The mines had to supply him with 'nails for his ships amongst other goods'. He made Gloucester a free Borough, as with Hereford, both subject to 'the laws and customs of Breteuil', a norman borough, capital of an iron mining region, with its own free miner's customs.
My question is this : Are there any archives describing the Gloucestershire iron industry, dating to around 1066 ? If there are, then it could link the establishment of English free Borough rights on free miner's needs to do their trade unhindered !