b'The Extent of Wylton for 1388Andrew SeftonT he final demise of the Archbishop of Yorks Palace or Manor House situated in Hall Garth at the East end of Bishop Wilton has been the source of much speculation in these bulletins. A recent discovery 1of the complete text for the Extent of Wylton for 1388 has helped in this matter.It states the Manor [House] was in a very ruinous state and almost fallen down. There are two possible scenarios to the ending of the Palace or Manor House; one was a steady decline in the use of the remote palace sites during the 14th century, especially following the Scottish raids of 1317-18, as suggested by Le Patourel and Wood 2 , and the other, a more violent ending, due to the seizing of assets of Alexander Neville, Archbishop of York, upon his judgment as a traitor in 1388.The following entry in the Patent Rolls 3for April 3 1386 shows that there was indeed increasing violence andThe Archbishops Palace at Southwell, Notts, in discontent directed towards Alexander: 1787April 3. Commission of oyer and terminer to Henry de Percy, earl of Northumberland,the Archbishops property in the vicinity of Wylton. John de Nevill of Raby, Henry son ofGowthorpe manor is described as waste with a Henry de Percy, Roger de Clifford, Johndovecote and of no value. In Bolton, John de Lokton de Roos, Richard Lescrope, Ralph, baronis said to hold the site of a waste manor 4 .of Greystoke, William Skipwyth, RogerAt South Burton [Bishop Burton] 5the manor is Fulthorp, William Burgh, John de Aske,of no value because of its ruinous condition with a John Lokton, William de Risceby anddovecote in similar condition and of no value. John Dent, on complaint by Alexander,Further afield, at Southwell 6near Nottingham, it archbishop of York, who is of the kingsseems the ecclesiastical residence had been used as council, busy with the affairs of the realm ata hospital for the maintenance of the sick and lepers the kings side under his special protection,built of the lords alms, but by the time of Alexander that William Honyngham, John de Ripon,the hospital was waste.William Howeson, John Toppe and otherDoes this indicate a sudden end or a steady evildoers leagued together came armeddecline caused by the disease and poverty of the 14th to his palace at York and his manors ofcentury? This question still waits to be answered.Bysshopthorpe and Cawode, broke hisThe following is the actual full Extent for 1388 closes and houses there, gates, doors andfor Bishop Wilton 7(formatted for readability and the windows, took away goods and chattels,leadingsign is replaced by a following l in the value 1,000. assaulted and so threateneddocument below, as shown in the source):his men and servants that they dared not100. Inquisition taken before the same Robert and serve him. For 40s. paid in the hanaper. Richard and John Godard, knight, escheator in [co. The 1388 Extent for other areas (same source),York], by virtue of the same commission. Wylton, a shows the decline and ruinous state of manors ofhamlet of the lordship of Beverley. 21 April [1388].1An extract was reproduced by Rev. Fawcett, vicar of Bishop Wilton parish 1927-1962, in his briefhistory of Bishop Wilton.2Excavation of the Archbishop of Yorks Manor House at Otley YAJ Vol 45, 1975, P. 1153Calendar of Patent Rolls - Richard II Volume 3 1385 1389. Viewable at: http://www.uiowa. edu/~acadtech/patentrolls/4Calendar of Inquisitions Miscellaneous Volume V No. 17, P. 125Calendar of Inquisitions Miscellaneous Volume IV 1377-1388 HMSO 1957 No.395 P. 2136A history of the antiquities of the town and church of Southwell in the county of Nottingham by W.Dickinson Raskall, 1787.7Calendar of Inquisitions Miscellaneous Volume V 1387-1393 HMSO 1962, No. 100, P. 76BULLETIN 11 177'