b'commutations of penance within that time.The final Primary Visitation Return availableExamples of Penancesto us is that of Archbishop Thomson over 100Transgressors for a variety of sins were presented at years later, in 1865. The vicar is John AdamsVisitations, and very often were required to do Public Eldridge who has been in place for 8 years. HePenance 1 . resides in the Old Vicarage, east of the churchIn 1746 Margaret Pattison and John Crosyer of entrance, which was built between 1765 andYoulthorpe were found guilty of the Detestable Sin 1770. He comments that it needs to be rebuilt,of Fornication with each other, and were required to but it was not until after his death in 1905 thatpresent themselves at the Parish Church of Bishop the current Vicarage was built on Braygate. Wilton at the time of Divine Service, between the Hours No population figures are requested sinceof 9 and 11 of the Clock in the forenoonin the the National Census is in place; 141 householdspresence of the whole congregation then assembled, are listed in the 1861 Census, showing thatbeing bare-head, bare-foot and bare-leged, having a numbers are steadily increasing. Howeverwhite sheet wraped about from shoulders to the Feet the numberof communicants is falling, withand a white Wand in the Hand, where immediately only 20 regular and 25 at the Great Festivals.after the Reading shall stand upon some Form or Seat Eldridge also gives average numbers for thebefore the Pulpit and make their public confession. congregation40 on Sunday morning, 80In the event, neither of them had to make their public Sunday pm, 18 on a weekday morning andconfession, as the instruction was ordered to be 40 weekday pm. He blames the low numberswithdrawn.on the spread-out nature of the parish and theIn 1751 Frances Olever of Bishop Wilton was irregularity of services in former years, but thinkspresented, also for fornication; a number of people of that attendance is gradually increasing. As to thegood standing in the parish including Richard Darley, Methodists, he informs us that the WesleyansLord of the Manor, signed a petition attesting to her and Ranters have each a place of worshipthegood character, saying she was a young woman of number of the former according to their ownSober Modest life and conversation and never before statement is 50, of the latter 40. Frustratinglythis instance esteemed or reckoned guilty of any this Return for 1865 was completed some 6indecencies or irregularities in her behaviourand if years after the major renovation of St Ediths andshe should be decreed to be put to publick shame wee in response to questions about the state of repairapprehend it may be attended with very dangerous of the church, Eldridge merely replies that thereconsequences. The outcome of this plea is not has been no alteration since the last visitation.recorded.His only complaint is that the ChurchwardensIn 1765 John Richardson was presented for the crime do not regularly discharge their duties. of adultery with Mary Playforth, spinster of Bishop The schooling of the village children hasWilton. While admitting his guilt, he alleged that he was come on a lot in the intervening centurySirextremely poor and not able to pay any expenses and Tatton Sykes, Bart, pays for two schools withhad nothing but his Daily Labour and a large family. 45 boys and 43 girls and infants under 6 beingMany of his neighbours also certified his good character, educated separately. There is also a smallwith the result that he was excused from performing any dame school in the village. The Archbishopspenance or paying any costs.questionnaire asks if the young people areIn 1783 Elizabeth Seller and Ann Richardson, both retained in a Sunday School after they haveof Bishop Wilton, were presented for the crime of left daily school, and Eldridge answers, slightlyfornication and having born bastard children, but it is defensively, The greater portion of the youngnot known whether they were required to perform any people after they cease to attend the dailypenance.school go into service and leave the village.In 1797 Thomas Richardson, Yeoman of Bishop Of those who do not leave, a few remain inWilton, was presented for non-payment of his church the Sunday School for a short timeI haveAssessment for the previous year of 7 shillings and endeavoured to retain them under instructionsixpence farthing. [Until 1868 churchwardens levied a by opening the school room in the winterrate, called an Assessment or Cess, on all landowners evenings, but the master takes little interest andin the parish, to pay for the maintenance, cleaning and the consequence is that very few attend. Theredecoration of the church.] He duly paid up on 29th June will be a change of master in May. This final1797reference was to George Fryer, who did indeed1 The examples are all taken from the Court Book & Vis-leave as schoolmaster in April 1865, but retaineditation Papers, Ref BW.1 and BW.2, Borthwick Institute, close links with the school until 1906. York University. BULLETIN 18 349'