kelp

1) A collective name for large seaweeds which have had a variety of uses.

They were formerly burnt on a large scale for the sake of the substances found in the ashes. The OED has one reference from 1387 and then a gap in the evidence until 1601 but it was clearly being collected throughout that period and had a market value. The pier toll in Bridlington in 1566 was 3d for every Hundredweight of kilpe .

spellings kilp (1)
places Bridlington
dates 1601

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