York Historic Environment Record

Site Ownership and Occupation

In c. 1230 x 1252 areas I and II of Tenement 26 was described as the land of Thomas Furbisher (le furbur) son of John le loker (7). In 1286 Tenement 26, as it abutted on to Tenement 25, was also described as the land of Thomas Furbisher (le Foubour) (1). By c. 1228 the tenement was already divided between two tenants when Mathilda Postard, widow of Wydonis Goldsmith (Aurifaber), granted to the vicars choral in free alms, 23s. 6d. rent which was given to her on her marriage by Arnald Postard her father, including 9s. 6d. which Thomas Furbisher (Furbur) owed, (from areas I and II) and 10s. which Lawrence Bukeler owed (from areas III, IV and V) her for land in Petergate between land formerly of Gregory le Kaudruner (Tenement 27) and land formerly of Adam Goldsmith (Aurifaber) (Tenement 25?) (2).

Areas I and II in the early to mid 13th century Sometime after c. 1228 the vicars choral secured their title to the northern half of Tenement 26 as the result of two grants from Henry the Furbisher (le Furbur) of Petergate. Together with Aubrey his wife, he granted them land in Petergate (I and II) lying between the land once of Laurence le Bukeler (areas III, IV and V), and that of Harvey le ceinturer [Tenement 25?) (3). This grant was supported by a later quitclaim from Aubrey, widow of Henry the furbisher, of land her husband had given the vicars (4). In the mid 13th century he also granted to the dean and chapter, for the work of the vicars, in return for 8 1/2 marks which they had given him in his great necessity, one shop (soldam) with one solar containing the space of two shops in Petergate (I). The shop was eight feet wide and fourteen feet long; the solar, sixteen feet wide and fourteen feet long. The property lay between the land which the vicars already had from Henry the furbisher (le furbur) (part of areas I and II?), and the land of William Floutur which was of the fee of the abbey of Fountains (areas III, IV, and V) (5).

In the mid 13th century Henry the Furbisher of Petergate also granted to the vicars choral, who had given him 36s. 8d., an annual rent of 3s. 6d. from land in the parish of Holy Trinity in Petergate, lying between the land of Harvey the Currier (Tenement 25?) and that of Hugh de le Dunnes. If Henry failed to pay the rent, he would quitclaim the land to the vicars (6). Despite the description of this land as lying within the parish of Holy Trinity, whereas now it is within the parish of St Michael le Belfrey, this grant may still refer to part of Tenement 26. If so, this grant may precede Henry's first grant to the college above.

Areas III, IV and V in the mid 13th century.
In c. 1228 this was the land from which Lawrence Bukler owed 10s. to Mathilda Postard and Lawrence Bukler was still the tenant at the time of Henry Furbishers first grant of areas I and II to the vicars (2, 3).

In c. 1230 x 1252 John Blund, chaplain, granted to Fountains Abbey, an annual rent of 10s. from land next to the land of Thomas le furbur son of John le loker to the north (areas I and II) Should any instrument of another gift by John Blund of another rent to the abbey be found this deed was to be quashed (7). On 14 October 1264 Fountains Abbey granted to John le Kaudruner a messuage formerly of John le Sauner, alias Blund, chaplain, in Petergate between the land of John le Kaudruner (Tenement 27) and Henry le Furber (areas I and II), for 7s. rent a year (8).

Area I in the 14th century

At the front of the tenement were two shops (seldis) with solars above which lay next to Tenement 25. On 25 May 1315 Nicholas de Langton senior granted a rent of 18s. from these shops to a chaplain at the altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the church of Holy Trinity, King's Court, for the souls of himself and Margaret his wife. The shops lay between the tenement once of John de Eryum (Tenement 25) and the tenement of John Cave (Tenement 26, III), and backed on to the tenement of William de Strensall behind (9). In June 1308 and July 1331 Tenement 26, as it abutted on to Tenement 25 was still described as the tenement of Nicholas de Langton (10).

Area II in the late 13th and early 14th centuries

The part of Tenement 26 to the rear of these shops was therefore held by William de Strensall in 1315 (10). It was also probably this tenement which was granted to Richard de Alverton senior, merchant, by John son of Richard le Specer, described as buildings in a lane in Petergate in the parish of St Michael. The lane could be the passage which would have provided access to this property, which lay behind the street front (11). In the late 13th century Alice, widow of John son of Richard le Specer, quitclaimed her messuage in Petergate to William de Strensall (12).

William de Strensall's messuage also neighboured to the south east a portion of this tenement which he later acquired from John Cave (IV below).

Areas III and IV in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

These two parts of the tenement, described as land with buildings and houses, were held together by Richard de Scurneton, who granted them, probably in the late 13th century, to Cecilia his daughter (13). Cecilia married Philip de Strensall, girdler (zonarius), to whom she granted the property (14). This grant was confirmed by the quitclaim of Agnes, widow of Nicholas le White of York (15).

Philip de Strensall also demised the property at farm to a fellow girdler, John de Cave, who was certainly in possession by 1315 (9). This demise was also confirmed by another quitclaim to both Strensall and Cave by Agnes, widow of Nicholas le White, and by Cicelia, widow of Richard de Scorneton (16). There is also a further reference to a grant by Philip de Strensall to John de Cave, and there is a reference to Strensall's will of 1328 (17). John de Cave in turn granted the messuage to John le Troponr' and Maysant his wife. However John also granted the rear portion of his holding (IV) to William de Strensall, butcher (carnificus), who already held the other half of the rear part of the tenement towards the north west (II). This messuage lay between the land of William de Strensall (II) and the land formerly of Thomas Flaxton, girdler (zonarius), (Tenement 27) in width, and in length from the land of John de Cave (Tenement 26, III) to the land of John de Holtby (Tenement 26, V), and it measured 16 feet in length and 16 feet in width (18).

Area V in the late 13th and 14th centuries.

William de Strensall also obtained this portion of the tenement, described as a toft, by grant from John Clyff of York and Emma his wife. The toft was held by John de Holteby and Emma his wife, who had had it by the grant of Robert Arncottes (19).

Areas I, II, III, IV and V in the 14th century.

Cicelia, daughter of Richard de Scorneton, inherited from him the superior title to the whole of Tenement 26, and despite her grant to her first husband (14), seems to have retained the tenement with full powers of alienation after his death in c. 1328. As widow of Philip de Strensall, Cecily granted the whole messuage to Robert de Stokton, who probably became her second husband, for there is a reference to the will of Cecily, widow of Robert de Stokton of York junior (20, 21).

In his own will Robert de Stokton, son and heir of Robert de Stokton, late citizen and dyer (tuncuarius), bequeathed a rent of 20s. a year from this tenement in the parish of St Michael, probably to John Stokton of London, saddler (sadelor), who in turn granted and quitclaimed the rent to Richard de Barneby, citizen of York, to whom John de Stokton seems to have been indebted for the sum of 21 marks (22, 23, 24). The annual rent of 20s. from this tenement was also acquired by Richard de Barneby by the concession of John de Roos and Marie de Appleby his wife (25).

(Richard de Barneby was related to the Strensall family, for the will of his wife Alice reveals that her sister Beatrix had married Thomas Strensall and that their son, William Strensall, was to be one of the clerks serving at the chantry in Holy Trinity, King's Court ordained by Richard de Barneby.) BI, Prob. Reg., I, fo 23. Will made 24 September 1390, proved, 27 February 1391

Richard de Barneby endowed a chantry in the church of Holy Trinity, King's Court, by granting this tenement and seven others in Colliergate and the Shambles (including his own dwelling house), to five agents of the dean and chapter who acquired the necessary licence and granted the properties to the dean and chapter on 31 December 1378 (26, 27). Richard de Barneby farmed the tenements back from the dean and chapter probably for the term of his life and that of his wife (28). Richard de Barneby died in 1387 and his wife in 1392. In the inquisition for the alienation of this tenement to the dean and chapter, heard on 3 June 1378 Tenement 26 was described as lying between the tenement of Robert de Gare on the south side (Tenement 27), and the tenement of John de Aldburgh on the north side (Tenement 25). It was held of the king as in free burgage of the city of York, and was worth 30s. p.a. (29).

In 1546 Barneby's chantry received an annual rent of ,6 from the clerk of the Fabric on behalf of the dean and chapter who managed the chantry's estate (30).

References
1 Abutment from Tenement 25; J.Ryl., MSS 220 1, fo 87
2 'Vicars Choral Cartulary', no 182
3 'Vicars Choral Cartulary', no 175
4 'Vicars Choral Cartulary', no 176
5 'Vicars Choral Cartulary', no 181
6 'Vicars Choral Cartulary', no 174
7 Fountains Abbey Cartulary, 272
8 Fountains Abbey Cartulary, 273
9 YCA, G:1a
10 Abutments from Tenement 25; YML, VC 3/Vi 46/2; YCA,
G.70:8
11 YML, M2/2a, fo 29v (cf Tenement 21 p.00 above)
12 YML, M2/2a, fo 29
13 YML, M2/2a, fo 30v
14 YML, M2/2a, fo 30
15 YML, M2/2a, fo 30v
16 YML, M2/2a, fos 28, 29v
17 YML, M2/2a, fo 30v
18 YML, M2/2a, fos 28, 29v
19 YML, M2/2a, fo 29
20 YML, M2/2a, fo 30v
21 YML, M2/2a, fo 28v
22 YML, M2/2a, fo 32v
23 YML, M2/2a, fo 28v
24 YML, M2/2a, fo 29v
25 YML, M2/2a, fo 31
26 YML, M2/2a, fo 31 The agents were John de Feriby, John de Broddesworth, parsons in the choir of York Minster, Patrick de Asshburn, chaplain, Robert de Ampilford and John de Mapplus
27 YML, M2/2a, fo 33
28 YML, M2/2a, fo 29v
29 PRO, C.143/393/20
30 Yorkshire Chantry Certificates, 1, 77