Ever since the foundation of the borough of Scarborough, rents of fourpence and sixpence a year were charged on house plots according to whether the houses were endways or sideways on to the road. The rents were collected by Michaelmas each year for payment to the officers of the King's castle.
The triangular topped end wall of a house was its gable and the rent was called gablage. Taken together, they made up the "king's rents". A list of 365 King's rents in 1794 tells us the limits of old Scarborough. Alas, several streets now carry changed names.
Apple Market, west 2, east 8
Bawdy Bank 2
Bland's cliff, 1
Bolts 6
Carr Street north 2, south 3
Castlegate ,west 2 east 12
Cook's Row, north & east 8, south & west 6
Cross Street 27
Dumple, west 8 east 3
East Sandgate 6
Fleshergate west 5, east 6
High Westgate north 16, south 14
Key Street north 21. south 19
Leading Post street south & west 10.north & east 7
Long Greece 2
Long Room Street, west 5, east 4
Merchant's Row, north 1, south 13
Newbrough, north 27, south 24
Palace Hill 7
Paradise 1
Potter Lane 3
Queen Street, west 10, east 2
St. Mary Street, west 7, east 3
Sandside 23
Saturday Market north 3, south 1
Sepulchre Street north 5, south 6
Shilbottle lane 2
Tanner Street, west 4, east 3
Tollergate 1
Tuthill 7
West Sandgate 7.
By John Rushton
