Glossary
This select glossary provides definitions for words used in this 'Laxton' resource. Some words in this glossary also have other meanings. Only the meaning which is relevant in the context of Laxton is given here.
abutting
Adjoining, or lying right next to
acre
Main unit used to measure area until the late 20th century, containing 4 roods
arable
Land used to grow crops such as wheat, barley, oats or beans
bailiff
Official appointed by the manorial court. He acted as the intermediary between the steward and the tenants
balk
Area of unploughed grass between strips in an open field
burleyman
Official appointed to see that the by-laws made by the manorial court were observed. Sometimes referred to as ‘the by-law men’
butting
Alternative word for ‘abutting’
close
Enclosed (fenced or hedged) piece of land
Common
Waste land which certain villagers were allowed to use to graze animals
common fields
Arable and meadow land worked co-operatively by farmers, and divided into unenclosed strips
common rights
Customary rights enjoyed by villagers in open field villages, for example to graze animals on the common fields and the Commons
Court Baron
Court held by the lord of the manor or his steward, to administer the customs of the manor and enforce payment of dues and services
Court Leet
Court held by the lord of the manor or his steward, to deal with the administration of local justice for offences against the manor
croft
Small piece of enclosed land attached to a house
deposition
Witness statement made in a case brought before a court
dole
Strip of land in a common meadow
enclosure
Process of separating open fields farmed co-operatively into closes owned or occupied by individual farmers
encroach
To occupy, farm or otherwise make use of land which was not yours, for example ploughing too far into neighbouring land on the open field
essoign
Fine levied on people who did not attend the court
excommunication
Punishment forbidding an individual to attend church services or take communion. ‘Greater excommunication’ involved the exclusion of the individual from all Christian company
fallow
Arable land not sown with crops, but left in its natural state for a period of time, usually one year
fealty
Allegiance or fidelity; to ‘swear fealty’ was to make an oath of loyalty
flatt
Alternative word for furlong
freeholder
A person owning land absolutely, in ‘fee simple’
furlong
Area of land made up of a number of strips, coming from the term a ‘furrow long’
gate right or gait right
(In Laxton): customary right to pasture an animal on the open fields at particular times of the year. Also, after enclosure of the common meadows in the 1720s-1730s, a right to a share of the proceeds of sales of grass from the sikes. Always spelt ‘gait’ in Laxton, although usually spelt ‘gate’ in other places and in the Oxford English Dictionary
gore
Irregular shaped piece of land left over at the side of the field when the rest had been divided into long strips
aide de camp
Army officer acting as personal assistant, secretary and confidant to a general.
headland
Piece of land at the edge of an open field or furlong, over which the plough would turn
inclosure
Alternative spelling of enclosure, commonly used in the 19th century
jury
Tenants of the manor chosen each year to adjudicate offences and matters of dispute in the manor court
‘land’
A long, narrow piece of ridged arable land
lay impropriator
A layman (rather than a clergyman) entitled to receive the tithe
manor
An administrative unit governed by a manor court. Tenants paid rent and service to the lord of the manor and had to abide by the customs of the manor. In Laxton the manor covered the whole parish, regardless of who owned the land
meadow
Low-lying area too damp to grow crops. Grass growing there was harvested for hay
open field
Arable or meadow land farmed co-operatively by farmers, and divided into unenclosed strips
pasture
Land grazed by animals
penance
Public display of repentance for an ecclesiastical crime
perch
Unit of area (40 perches to 1 rood)
pinder
Officer appointed by the Court Leet to round up straying cattle on the open fields and to impound them until the proper fine was paid
presentment paper
List of manorial offences presented to the Court Leet for judgement
presentment bill
List of ecclesiastical offences presented to the Archdeaconry court by churchwardens
proprietor
landowner
rood
Unit of area (4 roods to 1 acre)
selion
Another name for 'land'
steward
Representative of the lord of the manor, who presided over the manorial court
stint or stinting
Limitation on the number of animals that could be grazed in a particular place
strip
Unit of landholding in an open field, made up of a number of ‘lands’
suit roll
List of people (‘suitors’) eligible to attend the manorial court
syke or sike (pronounced ‘sick’)
Unploughed area in an open field, usually low lying and damp and unsuitable for ploughing, where grass grows
tenant
Someone renting land from a proprietor
tithe
Tax of one-tenth of agricultural produce (hay, corn, sheep etc.), given to support the church
toft
Homestead, house or outbuildings. Occupiers of tofts in Laxton were eligible to graze animals on the commons and wastes. ‘Toft and croft’ is a house with land attached.
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