b'The Layout of the Archbishops Palace SiteA t a Workshop in March 2005 members of theexamples of the evidence or reasoning behind the Local History Group discussed the possibleassumptions that have been made in the diagram will layout of the Archbishops Palace Site based onhave to suffice:evidence from a number of sources: 5.H. E. Jean Le Patourel observes: Suggestion 1.Aerial photographs:of gatehouse at SW corner of the site. 1Although there are a number of aerial6.A letter from an Archbishop of York refers tophotographs of the site available froma gardener at Wilton and other documents several sources, we are indebted to Anthony(admittedly from when the site was in decline) Crawshaw of York for two that provide superbrefer to income received from produce from the views from the north and from the south. Thesite.latter is used on the diagram that follows. If ever any archaeology is sanctioned on the site in 2.Architectural features ofcomparable sitesthe future this speculative exercise gives us a useful These were identified by Andrew Boyce partlylist of assumptions to prove or disprove. Apart from by reference to an English Heritage documentestablishing the nature and use of the structures on Monument Class DescriptionMagnatesthe site, other questions to answer could include:Residences (Medieval)7.Is there any evidence for access to the 3.Assessment of the site on the groundgatehouse over the moat e.g. a collapsed This is limited to observation from the perimeterbridge?of the site for the time being. This is enough8.What is the age of the moat in-fill on the to allow visual assessment of at least threenorthern side that is sometimes referred to as features: the moat on three sides along with itsan access point contemporary with use by the nature and size; the southern boundary of theArchbishops?site and the land between it and the beck; the9.Was the moat dry or is there sedimentary area taken up by the two fish ponds and theirevidence for there having been a continuous likely depth. flow of water all round?4.General documentary evidence 10. The east of the site appears to be free ofAncient and modern sources provide us withstructural remains and has been identified as an useful pointers. orchard and/or garden. Is this justified?The accompanying diagram draws on the outcome11. Can the gap in the southern boundary beof the Workshop to locate features on the site usingestablished as being contemporary with the an aerial photograph. Although this is a speculativesite?exercise it is not one without foundations. Two 1 H. E. Jean Le Patourel, 1973, The Moated Sites of Yorkshire, The Society for Medieval ArchaeologyMonograph Series: No. 5.Wilton UpdateKate PrattA t a talk given by Paul Cavill at York St JohnMore recent authorities, such as A D Mills in his College in October 2005 on YorkshireOxford Dictionary of Placenames (2003) disagree Placenames it was a pleasant surprise to hear awith this interpretation, preferring instead to see Old mention of Bishop Wilton 1 . English wilig in the first element, giving a derivation Referring to the way theories of academicsof farmstead among the willows for Wilton. The fact changed with time, Paul Cavill used Wilton as anthat in our Domesday entry it is written as Wiltone, example to illustrate this. In the 1937 East RidingWilton and Widton encourages the idea that the Placename Survey by Smith it is claimed that anyscribes may have had a problem with the local accent, place named Wilton which appeared as Widton inand did not give much significance to consistency.Domesday Book possibly had the Old English wilde meaning wild, waste or uncultivated as its first element.1The derivation of Wilton was previously covered in Bulletin 2 under the headingPlace Names220 BULLETIN 13'