1) To pave was to lay stones closely together in order to create a compact, smooth surface, particularly for the public highways in major towns: the word was responsible for an important York street name.
1376 De terra Thome de Strensell, goldesmyth, super Pavimentum xxiiijs
1417 super Pavimentum. The maintenance of the pavements in Doncaster was an ongoing problem and numerous tenants incurred fines, e.g. 1572 Thomas Cockson for a broken pavement unmade we merce him ijd. The surface of the way between the battlements of a bridge was also referred to as the pavement. In 1602, the mason Thomas Wallimsley was hired to build one good and sufficient stone bridge at Apperley and he agreed to pave and battle all the said bridge throughout. When Wetherby Bridge was in need of repair in 1614, the townsmen alluded to the decay of the pavement … with the continuall travell of cole waines over the same. Similarly it was claimed in Birstall in 1706 that great quantities of Lyme in wagons Excessively loaded [had] much impaired the paveing and at Cottingley, in 1683, men were instructed to fill up all the holes in the pavement . The approaches to bridges, causeways across marshland, and riverside stathes also required paving and from an early date testators contributed towards their upkeep. In 1393, John Weste of Roundhay Grange made the following bequest: Item Pavimento de Ferrybryg vjs viijd. An account in 1421 had Pro cariagio de chyngell per navem a Hesill et Humbre pro pavimento ejusdem staith 16s, York. The accounts for Brotherton causeway in 1717 included payments for leading earth to Pavers.