EDITORIAL NOTE

The Victoria History of the County of York will eventually comprise five distinct sets, of which three, those treating the whole shire generally, the North Riding, and the city of York, are complete. That for the West Riding has yet to be started. The East Riding set, of which this volume is a part, is in progress. Those who wish to learn more of the structure, aims, and progress of the History as a whole may consult the General Introduction (1970) and Supplement (1990). The present volume deals with the history of much of Holderness wapentake, completing the survey of that part of the Riding begun in volume V of the East Riding series.

Dr. K. J. Allison, the county editor for the East Riding, retired in 1990 and was succeeded by the present editor, Dr. G. H. R. Kent, formerly assistant editor. Between 1991 and 1994 Dr. John Walker served as assistant editor, and Dr. T. N. Cooper held the post jointly with that of lecturer in the Department of History at Hull University for three years from 1996 to 1999. Central editing of the volume was done by Professor C. R. Elrington and his successor as General Editor, Dr. C.R.J. Currie, both of whom have introduced various changes in the arrangement and presentation of the material.

Thanks are due to many other people in connection with this volume. Dr. David Connell of the Burton Constable Foundation was enthusiastic and indefatigable in his support during the lengthy investigation of the building history of Burton Constable Hall, and Mr. John Chichester-Constable and his daughter, Mrs. Rodrica Straker, patiently answered questions about the family's estate in Holderness. Other owners, who made records available and allowed their houses to be visited and photographed, included Mr. Oliver Marriott of Grimston Garth, Mr. Rupert Russell of Wassand Hall, and Mr. Hugh Bethell at Rise. Mr. Bethell's agent, Mr. Andrew Johnson, and Mrs. A. Dyson at the estate office at Rise Park were especially helpful. Dr. J. E. Crowther, Mr. and Mrs. M. Sewell, Mr. and Mrs. J. Gelsthorpe, and Dr. J. E. S. Walker helped with the account of Hornsea, Mr. P. Butler with that of Garton, and Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Walgate of Scarborough with Swine. Professor D. M. Woodward kindly supplied information about Trinity House, Hull, and its holdings in Holderness. Further afield, the duke of Rutland, the marquess of Exeter and Lady Victoria Leatham, and the earl of Shaftesbury kindly allowed access to records kept respectively at Belvoir castle near Grantham, Burghley House near Stamford, and St. Giles's House at Wimborne in Dorset. All of those mentioned above, together with many named in the footnotes, are thanked most sincerely for their invaluable help.

The illustration of the volume was facilitated by a joint undertaking in the late 1990s by the Victoria County History and the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, English Heritage from 1997, to improve the coverage of the East Riding in the National Monuments Record at Swindon. Special thanks are due in this respect to Bob Skingle, English Heritage's photographer in York, and to the owners of buildings recorded. Mr. Ben Chapman of Withernsea has also generously allowed the use of postcards from the Chapman Social History Archive. The expansion in the illustration of the volume is due largely to the Architectural Editor, Ms. Elizabeth Williamson, whose encouragement and assistance is gratefully acknowledged.

A final debt is to the public bodies and their staffs, without whom the history could not have been written. The financial support established by the former East Riding county council before its abolition in 1974, and recently continued by its successor, the East Riding of Yorkshire council, is gratefully acknowledged, together with the recent contribution, financial and otherwise, of the University of Hull. Both bodies have assisted the project in other ways. The archive and library services provided at Beverley by the council and its predecessors have contributed hugely to the volume, while much material has been made available from the archives collection in the Brynmor Jones Library at the university. Particular thanks are due to the former county archivist, Mr. Keith Holt, his assistant, Mrs. C. A. Boddington, and to Mrs. Helen Clark and the searchroom staff; to Ms. Pamela Martin, Mrs. Jenny Stanley, and the staff at Beverley Reference Library, and at the university to Mr. Brian Dyson and Ms. Helen Roberts. The staffs at the other repositories much used for the History, the Borthwick Institute of Historical Research at York and the Public Record Office in London, and the former Holderness Borough council and its officers, are also warmly thanked for their assistance.