York Historic Environment Record

Site Ownership and Occupation

In the mid 13th century Roger Haxby, smith (faber), sold his lands and tenements in Petergate to Henry Frereman/Feriman, smith (faber), of Petergate of York (1). This sale must have occurred before 1286 (2), and by 1292 the tenement had passed to Adam de Egerrmund called Frereman (possibly a relation of Henry Frereman), and his wife Johanna, who in turn had granted and quitclaimed the tenement to Dominus William de Codelyng of Wintringham, clerk and rector of St George's church in Fishergate in York, by 1313 (3,4).

Wintringham's title was confirmed by those who drew rents from the tenement. Robert and Eve, (an anchorite in York), the children of Martin de Insula, quitclaimed all rights in an annual rent of 13s. from the tenement in favour of Wintringham. John son of Henry de Bridlington, clerk, also quitclaimed any right to the 13s. rent. The final grant and quitclaim was made by Robert de Percy of Kernetteby, knight, of an annual rent of 11s. owed from the tenement (5).

Between 1317 and 1334 William de Wintringham made his will in which he left Tenement 23 to Richard de Huntington (6, 7). Richard also acquired land in Petergate which Thomas de Hornby of York had had from John son of Richard de Kingford (6). By March 1335 Huntington had also died. In his will, proved that month, Richard de Huntington of York, mercer, left to William his brother all the vases and utensils in his shop, but he left this tenement, which he had had from the gift and feoffment of the executors of William Codelyng, late rector of church of St Gregory (sic), Fishergate, to William his son, to hold of the chief lords of the fee for all due and customary service, with reversion to his true heirs should William die without heirs of his own (8,9).

The two shops on the site are first specifically recorded in the will of John de Neuby, proved 11 December 1361, in which he bequeathed to William de Huntington his colleague (socerus), citizen and apothecary, the remainder of a term of five years which he had in two shops beneath William's solar in Petergate, which he had from John Percy. If, at the end of the term of five years, neither he nor William nor anyone on their behalf, had been able to obtain in the interim the release of the two shops, then they were to revert to John Percy (10).

In 1362 William de Huntington died and left to Emma, his wife, all the building in Petergate in which he had lived, for her life, with reversion to John son of Emma de Helperby, unless he wished to sign a general acquittance by William's executors. If John were to die without heirs then William's son Robert was to have the tenement, and if he died without heirs it was to be sold by the commisar general of the court of York for pious works. William also left property in Huntington, Bootham, Gillygate and near Hornpotlane in Petergate (Tenement 44) (11). Before her own death in 1365 Emma later granted and quitclaimed this messuage to Walter de Rudstane of York, tailor (12, 13).

Tenement 23 was subsequently acquired by Alan de Alnwick, goldsmith, and used to endow a chantry in York Minster. The only suggestion, among a brief 16th century calendar of lost title deeds, as to how Alnwick acquired Tenement 23 and granted it to John de Broddesworth, chaplain, are references to an indenture made between William Baron de Graystock and Alan de Alnwick, and to a grant made by the latter of this tenement with a marginal note 'Cant' Alani Alnewik'. There were also quitclaims from Emma, widow, and Isabelle de Newton to Alan de Alnwik (14), and further quitclaims, from the executors of the will of Emma de Huntington, from Walter de Rudstane (dated 1365), and from W. de Alnwik a relation of Alan, to Dominus John de Broddesworth (15). Emma de Huntington's will was made 4 June 1365 and proved 6 June 1365, but the surviving copy makes no reference to this tenement (16).

After the death of Mathilda de Alnwick in June 1376 her executors, including John de Broddesworth, parson, applied for a licence to assign two messuages including Tenement 23 to a chaplain at the altar of St Thomas martyr in York Minster. The licence was granted 5 February 1377 and the grant made 21 March 1377 (17). By 1546 the Alnwick chantry had a tenement in Petergate in the tenure of William Rychardson worth 18s. per annum (18).

References
1 YML, M2/2a, fo 75 r v
2 Abutment from Tenement 24; J. Ryl., MSS 220 1, fo 87
3 YML, M2/2a, fo 75v
4 Abutments from Tenement 24; J. Ryl., MSS 220 1, fos 87 88; BL, Cotton MS Nero D iii, fo 180
5 YML, M2/2a, fo 75
6 YML, M2/2a, fo 75
7 Abutment from Tenement 24; BL, Cotton MS Nero D iii, fos 180 81; J. Ryl., MSS 220 1, fos 87v 88
8 YML, L2/4f, fo 14. Will dated 23 June 1332; proved 16 March 1335
9 Abutments from Tenement 22; 'Vicars Choral Cartulary', nos 275, 281, 309, 311. YML, VC/3 Vi 102, 328, 329, 330; VC/3 Vo 23; L2/2a, fo 85v
10 YML, L2/4f, fo 34. The will was made 5 November 1361, William de Huntington and Emma his wife were among the executors.
11 YML, L2/4f, fo 37. Will dated 4 May 1362, proved 16 May 1362
12 YML, M2/2a, fo 75r v
13 Abutment from Tenement 24; J. Ryl. MSS 220 1, fo 108v
14 YML, M2/2a, fo 75r v
15 YML, M2/2a, fo 75r
16 YML, L2/4f, fo 45
17 PRO, C.143/390/8; Cal. Pat 1374 77, 423; YML, M2/5, fo 89v
18 Yorkshire Chantry Certificates, 19