Steward manor7/25/2023 Additional officers were pinders for rounding up stray animals, foresters for protecting the lord's forest against encroachment and poaching, aletasters to check the quality and price of ale, and heywards to watch over crops. There was an annual reckoning around Michaelmas by the bailiff and graves, in which rents, court profits and sales of produce were accounted, along with expenses of the manor for the year, and presented to the steward for audit. The formulaic "he gives to the lord for entry" need not necessarily mean a handing over of coin, but rather an undertaking to pay. Given the small amount of coin about, and the fact that many transactions were conducted on the basis of credit, it is doubtful that all of these fines and dues were paid in coin at the time of the court. After each court session, the roll records the sum to be paid to the lord from that session, with subtotals "upon" the bailiff and the graves, and therefore the sum that each is to ensure reaches the lord's steward. ![]() ![]() During the medieval period, graves also supervised labour services on the lord's desmesne. The agent of the lord of a manor, who collects his rents, etc.Ĭloses and graves were also responsible for collecting the lord's rents. The graves were responsible for making presentments, for entry fines of land within their graveships and for amercements and distraints. In the manor of Conisbrough, there were three graveships: Conisbrough, Braithwell and Clifton. Other officers of the court, graves, were elected annually from amongst the copyholders, one grave for each of the graveships in the manor. From the manor court rolls of Conisbrough, it is clear that the bailiff was responsible for inquisitions, for the amounts owed at the two courts leet, for suits of court, fealty and respite of service, failing to appear at court and manorial offences relating to freeholders. The bailiff was responsible for matters relating to the manor as a whole, especially freeholders. In addition to the steward, there were other officers of the court. ![]() While in theory all men over 12 attended each court, it is likely that in practice only the manorial officers, offenders, jurymen, witnesses, litigants and pledges and those involved in land transfers came to the court.Īlthough the manor court was the lord's court, and everything was done in his name, it was usually presided over by his steward, who was appointed by the lord, or the steward's deputy. In a large manor, the steward would summon the court by instructing manorial officers to fix a notice to the church door or have it read out in church. However, there was often an overlap in the type of business conducted in the court baron and court leet. In addition, the court leet dealt with the election of graves, the election and swearing of the jury, election of constables and the presentment of offences, including those relating to matters of Crown jurisdiction franchised to the manorial lord (e.g., brewing and baking for sale). A suit roll was kept for the homage sworn by tenants if they were absent, a fine would be imposed. Business included a view of frankpledge, at which all men over the age of twelve were bound to appear and make their "pledge" to keep the king's peace. There was, in addition, a twice-yearly court leet, or tourn, held after Michaelmas and after Easter, which all residents of the manor were obliged to attend. These courts dealt with copyhold land transfers, managing the open fields, settling disputes between individuals and manorial offences. This was the court baron or manorial court, which all freeholders whose terms of tenure included suit of court and copyholders were obliged to attend. The court was to meet every three weeks throughout the year, although meetings could be more irregular than this. The manor court was the lowest court of law in England and governed those areas over which the lord of the manor had jurisdiction it applied only to those who resided in or held lands within the manor. Bench backing onto the steward's podium at West Derby Courthouse.
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