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Glossary

Alphabetical Indices:–
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Advowson
The right of presentation to a church benefice. Old French.

B

Benefice
A church living especially one with a cure of souls. Historically it can also mean a fief. Latin.
Bordere or Bordar
A villein who held his hut at his lord's pleasure. Latin of Germanic origin.
Bovate
A measure of land also called oxgang, oxgate or oxland: one eighth of a caracute of ploughland, the share attributed to each ox in a team of eight (approximately 13 acres). Latin.
By
Old Norse for settlement.

C

Canon
A canon regular was a member of an order (Augustinian, Austin or Black Canons) who lived under the rule of St Augustine (of Hippo) or offshoots (Premonstratensiansian or White Canons). They lived a life somewhere between the seclusion of monks and the everyday life of secular clergy according to the rules of their order.
Carucate
A measure of land as much land as team of oxen could plough in a season. Latin.
Clerestory
An upper storey or part of one with its own windows, usually used for the storey above the triforium in a church. English Clear storey.

D

Deanery
A group of parishes presided over by a dean.
Demesne
Pronounced 'demain', a manor house with attached lands not let to tenant, or any estate with land.
Diocese
The extent of a bishop's jurisdiction.
Dorter
The dormitory in a monastery. Old French from Latin.

E

Encomium
High recommendation or a eulogy. Latin.

F

Fief
A land held in fee on condition of military service. Also fee and feoff. French from Latin feudum, hence the term feudal.
Franklin
A freeholder of land free from feudal service to their superior. Frank meaning free in Old French.
Frater
The refectory or dining room in a monastery. Also sometimes used in error for the common room or chapter house. Old French from Latin.
Free Warren
The right to keep or hunt a piece of ground used for breeding game.

G

Gate
From the Old English gade (from the verb to go) meaning street or way, it was originally pronounced 'ga-uh' with a glottal stop for the D and the final E pronounced very softly.

H

I

Infangthief
The right of taking and fining a thief within the boundaries on one's own jurisdiction. Old English. see also Outfangthief

J

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K

L

M

Messuage
A dwelling house, with the adjacent buildings and enclosed area immediately surrounding the house or dwelling, and the adjoining lands appropriated to the use of the household. Anglo French.
Misericord
A bracket on a turn-up seat in a choir stall to provide some support when standing during services. Latin.
Motte and Bailey
A mound, the motte, with a castle; the bailey is the outer wall.

N

O

Outfangthief
The right of judging and fining thieves taken outside the boundaries on one's own jurisdiction. Old English. see also Infangthief
Oxgang
A measure of land also called bovate, oxgate or oxland: one eighth of a caracute of ploughland, the share attributed to each ox in a team of eight (approximately 13 acres). Old English.

P

Q

Quarenten
A measure of forty but of forty what I have not found out. From Latin.
Quitclaim
The transfer of a title, right, or claim to another. French.

R

S

Sedilia
Usually three seats in niches on the south side of the chancel for the officiating clergy. Latin.
Seneschal
A steward or major-domo. Old French from German meaning old servant, Also Old English scealc meaning servant.
Serf
A feudal slave. Later meaning a poor peasant. Old French from the Latin servus.
Soke or Soc
The right of holding a local court. Hence Socage (Soccage) – tenure of lands fixed and determinate in quality and Sokeman (Socager Socman) a tenant by socage and Soken a district under a particular jurisdiction. It was an important distinction – sokemen were not serfs. Old English.

T

Thorpe or Thorp
Hamlet or village. Old Norse.
Triforium
A gallery, storey or arcade over an aisle. Latin.

U

V

Villein
Originally a free villager. By the 13th Century a serf free in relation to all but his lord, developing later into a copyholder. Villeinage or villenage being the tenure. Anglo French.

W

Wick
Old English for village, or farm, particularly a dairy farm.

X

Y

Z

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