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 with an introduction and notes by William Paley Baildon (1859–1924), Volume 1 contains the Latin text of the earliest extant court roll, for the year 1274–5, followed by an English translation. Also included are the surviving rolls (in English) for the years up to 1297.
