b'Bishop WiltonLocal History Bulletin 11 -18 May 20051298 Inventory for the Manor of WiltonThe Italian Connection: Kate PrattIthey provide an interesting insight into the first came across a reference to this 1298 Inventory in a list of the documents held by the York Minsterextent and value of these properties by Library, and managed to get a photographic copythe last years of the thirteenth century. of it, as I knew it would not be possible to study it[the prebend of] Wiltonwas held loco adequately in the library. prebende by the treasurer during his There were now two problems with the document:lifetime and retained in his name for one the first that, although very clear, it was written inyear after his death. The prebend included thirteenth-century script, and the second that it was inthe vills of Bolton, Belthorpe, Youlthorpe Medieval Latin! and Gowthorpe, all of which are named in With the first problem, I had a stroke of luckthethe inventory of the manor of Wiltonvery next day I came across a transliteration of theIn addition to the details of livestock inventory which Janet Burton had done in 1985. Sheand crops, the inventories of Newthorpe had not translated the document into English, thoughand Wilton listed all the farm implements she had summarised it, but she had typed the Latinand household goods belonging to the out, which meant that I could at least read it. Armedtreasurer. These range from carts and with a Medieval Latin Dictionary and Latin for Localploughs, to bed linen and mattresses, from History, I managed to make a fair shot at the list, andpitchforks and dovecotes to bowls and then I asked an expert, Avril Powell, for help with theplatters, and a gridiron in the kitchen. At Latin grammar. Newthorpe there was an array of weapons Janet Burtons study - Inventories of the Propertyand armour, including a crossbow, a of the Treasurer of York, 1297-8 - provides somecatapult with bolts and an iron helmet. background information about the document. TheFinally, also only listed at Newthorpe and prebend of the Manor of Wilton was assigned to theWilton, were the farmyard animals, geese, Treasurer of York Minster in 1241-2; this meant thathens, chickens and ducks.the tithe from the demesne or manorial land went into the coffers of the Treasurer. Since 1292 the TreasurerThis inventory is to be prized as it is an extremely had been Giovanni Colonna who had had very littleearly exampleJanet Burton says that the equivalent to do with York, using the post only as a lucrativedocuments for Canterbury do not start until nearly a and political office. However, in May 1297 the Pope,century laterand it is very useful in giving an idea of Boniface VIII, a member of the Gaetano family whothe crops grown at the time, the yields, the tithes, the were involved in a power struggle with the Colonnas,farming implements and equipment needed. However, excommunicated the whole family and confiscatedit is also frustrating in that it sheds little light on the their estates. This was what prompted the need forbuildings here at Bishop Wilton. We gather that there the drawing up of the inventories. As Janet Burtonwas a Tithe Barn, a Demesne Barn and a big shedexplains: but what of a dwelling? It is feasible that at that time The inventories detail the possessionsthere existed two separate sites, a Manor House near of the treasurer in his major Yorkshirethe Church, and a Palace on Hall Garth at the east properties of Newthorpe, Wilton, Acombend of the village, used by the Archbishops of York and Alne, and in his houses in York; andon their perambulations. Although the Treasurers BULLETIN 11 171'