jan 1, 1620 - spire

Description:

A sapling, used especially of young oak and ash trees. In 1389 Richard Saunderson of Yeadon was fined 2d because he ‘cut down <i>hesshpires</i>’ in the Yeadon woods (SW84); in 1392-3 the fabric rolls for Ripon record the purchase of <i>xxxij spyres</i> for 16s 4d. In fact the entry also gives details of costs for felling the trees, transporting them and paying wages, both to labourers and to Thomas <i>Wright</i> for working the wood (SS81/116). They were evidently used a great deal in building projects, and feature in the fabric accounts for York Minster: 1421 <i>in lx spierres de quercu</i> [oak] <i>emptis apud Northdyghton; in xxiiij parvis spires de fraxino</i> [ash] <i>emptis pro j ustrino in Petergate</i>, York (SS35/44-5). Other examples are found in lists of manorial offences: 1537 <i>Robert Sergeantson ys a trespasser of fellyng and beryng away hys neghburs spyars and of other wod, </i>Alverthorpe (WCR9/68); 1620 ‘for cutting and stealing in <i>Watlas Springe</i> two <i>ash-spires</i> value 20d’ (NRQS2/234). Angus Winchester noted a reference in 1579 to <i>spier toppes</i> and <i>esshe leaves</i> used as cattle fodder in winter, Buckden (AW57).

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