Grant success to the Genius of the Place

I found this today at the centre of the old Roman fort in Malton.  The inscription means, "Grant success to the Genius of the Place".  It is surrounded by all the things that make Malton and Norton so wonderful.  St Michael's, the Milton Rooms, Eden Camp, the horses, the beer, the food and agriculture.  My wife was raised here, although actually born in Bridlington.  I have lived 10 years in Europe and have traveled very widely but this is one of the most magic places I have ever come across.  We had the misfortune to move here and three days later we went into the first lockdown, so the best is yet to come.

I was intrigued where the Latin phrase had come from, having at least O-levels in the subject and here is what I discovered.

In 1814, when they were digging the foundations for St Peter's Church on Langton Road, Norton to replace the medieval building then standing in Church Street.   Sadly all that remains of the medieval church is the font which was preserved in a garden for many years. the following stone block was unearthed which is now to be found in the Yorkshire Museum in York. 

So the full inscription reads, "Feliciter sit Genio loci servule utere felix tabern- am aurefi- cinam = Grant success to the Genius of the Place-Young slave, to your good fortune use this goldsmith’s shop".  It seems that the slave was being granted the use of the shop by way of inheritance of ownership.

The young slave can little have thought that the inscription would still be relevant thousands of years later.