b'Scottish Raids & Lawlessness in the Fourteenth CenturyAndrew SeftonI n the history group we have often speculated aboutScots, but did not attack Yorkthe fourteenth century in Bishop Wilton, as we know1322 - Raids as far as the Wolds, and Beverley it was a time of turmoil and unrest, and a pivotalheld to ransomtime for the village. We know that the ArchbishopsIn the Autumn of 1322 4 there was another in-road palace must have disappeared at some point in thisof the Scots into Yorkshire. They swept over much the century; we know that the Archbishop ceased to usesame ground which they had devastated in 1319. The Wilton for an Ecclesiastical Court, as the last entriesking sent John de Brittania, Earl of Richmond, with appear at that time 1 , and we know that Bishop Wiltona body of soldiers to watch their movements, but he had its first Vicar (Richard de Wilton) and Vicarageincautiously allowed himself to be surprised among ordained on Ascension Day (20 May) 1311 2 . In mythe hills between Byland and Rievaulx. The invaders, article entitled the Tale of Two Manors in Bulletin 11,who were at home among the rocks, made prisoners I outlined that Bishop Wilton consisted of two Manors.of the English Commander and a number of men. The Palace site in Hall Garth was the ArchbishopsEdward, never dreaming that danger was so near, Manor with lands including the park land, woodedwas all the while in the monastery of Rievaulx. He areas, rabbit warrens, and sheep walks on the Wolds.fled in haste, two of the monks serving as his guides, The other Manor was based on the moated Manorleaving all his plate and treasure behind him, of which House next to the Church, which was the Treasurersthe enemy possessed themselves. After scouring Manor. This included most of the productive arablethe country towards the East and South as far as the land of the open fields on the rich clay soils underWolds, and receiving a large sum of money from the the wold escarpment.The Treasurer drew much ofinhabitants of Beverley for sparing their town, they his income from the area using local labour from thereturned leisurely to Scotland. They carried off with village, and was known to have used a Proctor orthem the Earl of Richmond, and several years passed Farmer to look after his interests. before he could be ransomed.During this raid Bainton church 5was destroyed, Scottish Raids probably in revenge for the actions of the previous But how was the Palace destroyed? Untilrector of Bainton, Sir Edmund de Mauley, who had archaeological excavation is undertaken, we arefought in the battle of Bannockburn and was killed left to speculate about this. One possible reasonduring the English flight. This raid unsettled the people was that the Palace would have been looted and destroyed by marauding Scots when Robert the Bruce led the Scottish rebellions against the English and the King. We know that in 1298 King Edward I stayed for a night 3at Bishop Wilton, on his way North to fight the Scots. But the question is - did the Scots ever come as far south as Bishop Wilton? Timeline :1314 - Scots defeated at Bannockburn1316 - Raids to Barnard Castle & Richmond1318 - Raids to Northallerton, Boroughbridge & Knaresborough1319 - Ripon devastated by 11367 is the last one I have found when an Inquisition was held at Wilton. Cal. of Inq. Vol.3 Miscell.1348-1377. Page 244.2From an information sheet on Bishop Wilton, held by York Minster Library3Bulletin 16A Palace Fit for a King by Andrew Sefton4Quotation from Lives of the Archbishops of York Vol. 1 by W.H. Dixon.5Churches of the Wolds by Christine R. Barker354 BULLETIN 18'