Description

Admin History:

The Warton family were significant land owners in the East Riding. An account book of Sir Michael Warton III can be found at U DP81 and some surveys and valuations of the family estates at U DP58. This account book was kept at the time Sir Michael Warton III and his two brothers lived in the North Bar house, the largest house in Beverley, having twenty hearths. In addition, Sir Michael Warton owned 12,500 acres worth about a quarter of a million pounds; much of it had been ecclesiastical land such as that belonging to the dissolved Dominican Friary. In the house alone there was over £2000 worth of silver plate (Hall, Michael Warton of North Bar House, pp. 1-5, 9, 58).

The account book at U DP81 therefore indicates the household outgoings of a rich family and everything from apothecaries' and doctors' fees to quires of writing paper and greasing the coach is represented. Servants' wages, estate accounts and rents are also in the acount book for 1660 to 1695; estates covered include local estates at Beverley Park, Cottingham, Hornsea, Woodmansey, Cowden, Swanland and Woodhall.

The third Sir Michael Warton (b. 1623) died in 1688 and a separate set of accounts for his funeral begin from the back of the account book. He died in London on 9 August and was buried in Beverley Minster on 23 August. The book is filled with accounts for pall bearers and mourning clothes; every detail is listed - black silk, black hose, black buttons. When he died he left money for Beverley Minster's almshouses and his son went on to maintain these and he himself left money for the upkeep of this very beautiful church. Nearly all of the male members of the Warton family are buried in Beverley Minster and a photograph of the monument of the second Sir Michael Warton (d. 1655) is pasted onto the boards of this leather bound volume.

Description:

Includes papers relating to a case concerning the tithes of estates of Sir Michael Warton.