groundage

1) This was a customary payment which was levied on ships when they were berthed alongside a quay.

Originally the toll seems likely to have been based on the ‘ground’ they occupied when they lay upon the shore. It is said to have been principally associated with the port of London but the custom certainly applied elsewhere. In Bridlington, for example, in 1542, the tolls and grundage of the kay amounted to 48s 1˝d: among the vessels taxed were twenty-one Frans shyppes, twenty-three colle shyppes, probably from Newcastle, and one shypp of Grimsbe carrying salt. Other east-coast ports had similar tolls: 1540-7 tolneto, tallagio, groundagio, Whitby

1600 the groundage of every ship landed Filowe peere, Filey.

spellings grundage
dates 1540-1547 1542 1600

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