Manorialism S Manorialism S Reached its complete form

Manorialism S

Manorialism S Reached its complete form in the HMA S A medieval manor was a unit of land consisting of one or more villages that was governed by a noble, who was called a lord S an estate held by a lord, comprised of a demesne directly exploited by the lord, and peasant holdings from which he collected rents and fees

Manorial Governance S Lord S Steward APPOINTED S Bailiff • Reeve ELECTED • Other Manorial Officials • Aletaster, hayward, woodward etc

Status of Peasants LEGAL ECONOMIC • Virgater • Half-virgater • cotters • Freeman • Only taxes and possibly boonwork • Half-villein • Taxes and some week and boon work • Villein (serf) • Taxes, boonwork and weekwork

A Typical Manorial Village S Groups of tofts and crofts S Fields in outlying area S Fields divided intro strips S Three field system S Demesne= lord’s land S Pastureland S Woodland S Manor house S church

Some Dues Owed to Lord S Heriot (death tax) S Merchet (marriage tax) S Multure (tax to grind wheat into flour) S Pannage (tax to allow pigs in forest) S Occasionally special items at certain times of the year ie; eggs at Easter

Some Dues Owed to Priest S Plough-alms: tax on each plough team due at Easter S Soul-Scot: tax for funeral mass S Church-scot: paid by freemen at Martinmas S Tithes S (Glebe)

Why on Earth? S Manorial relationship generally not exploitative, rather symbiotic S Protection/safety for a fee S Peasants elected those officials who had the most influence on their lives S Peasants had recourse to tradition

Key Terns S Lord S Steward S Bailiff S Reeve

Key Terms S Demesne S Virgate S Toft and croft S Wattle and daub S Weekwork S boonwork

Key Terms S Heriot S Merchet S Tithe S Hallmote S Frankenpledge