Aspects of Kentish Local History

of the prior. The wheat was never taken to the barton— for it could not be malted—but was carried to the great granaries in the curia or the numerous mills of the priory in the city. The bartoner's account for the year 1311-12 (which is printed below and has been very kindly transcribed for me by Mr. W. P. Blore, Hon. Librarian of the Dean and Chapter Library) gives an admirable picture of the receipt of the corn supplies during this peak period of demesne economy. Most of the corn, it will be seen, came from the manors of the priory, but some was purchased by the treasurers. As the middle ages waned the corn bought from outside increased in amount, but there was never a time when the bartoner did not receive "food-farms" from the manorial demesnes. At harvest time he was so constantly occupied with this task that in 1298 Archbishop Winchelsey gave him special leave to go to and from from the barton without seeking the special licence of the prior on each occasion.
   After receiving the corn the bartoner promptly attended to the milling and malting. There has been a mill on the site of the present Barton Mills for at least seven centuries and probably for a considerably longer period. Numerous references to it occur in the accounts, such as the purchase of oil and soap for the wheels and the repair of its simple machinery. The building which to this day faces the Stour and has on its north-west side a buttress with a chamfered edge probably embodies part of the medieval malt-hall, which stood in close

juxtaposition to the mill. Gostling was clearly in error in thinking the building to be a chapel. Here the malting took place at frequent intervals throughout the year, usually about four times a month. The barley and oats grain, after soaking, were placed in appropriate conditions of moisture and warmth, with free access of air. Gradually the chemical change took place which consists primarily of the conversion of starch into sugar, and the malt was ready to be carried to the monastic brewery. Three or four servants were employed throughout the year in the malt-hall, headed in the fifteenth century by a master of the malt-hall (magister de la Malthalle) who wore special robes and must have exercised functions of general supervision.
   A groom (palefridarius) and loader (lodarius) assisted the bartoner in carrying the malt from the barton to the brewery in the monastic precinct. They were granted special liveries of food and drink and were counted among the regular familia of the curia. Their conduct was subject to regulation by the monastic chapter.
   The fourth and perhaps the most important aspect of the bartoner's work was that of providing for the smooth working of the brewery. The brewery, which lay to the north of the curia (Green Court) and now forms part of the King's School offices, was, like the malt-hall, staffed by a master brewer (magister braciator) and three or four servants. As the account shows, the brewings were reckoned in quarterly periods