The detailed records of the proceedings of the manorial court of Wakefield provide a unique insight into medieval life and commerce, the many legal disputes arising, and the mechanisms for resolving them. The manor court met every three weeks, as well as holding additional courts, or 'tourns', at various locations around the West Riding of Yorkshire. Recognising the historical significance of these court records, in 1901 the Yorkshire Archaeological Society began publishing them as part of its Record Series, continuing intermittently until 1945 and ultimately producing five volumes that span the years 1274-1331. Edited by William Paley Baildon (1859-1924) and published in 1906, Volume 2 contains the court rolls for the years 1297-1309. The editor's introduction provides an explanation of the workings of the court and the content of the rolls, the texts of which are in English.
