Description

Admin History:

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. There are also surveys and valuations of his estates done in 1774 at U DP58. 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. A case to do with the tithes on some of these estates is at U DP64.

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 an account book for Sir Michael Warton III's household kept by Robert Cook.