Charters, Tracts, and Wills Summary

This section contains several legal documents which give a glimpse into the way land was transferred, how marriages were carried out, and other important transactions. The first document is "A Grant of Land at Crediton," written by King Aethelheard. Aethelheard is granting a tract of land to Bishop Forthhere for the building of a monastery. Aethelheard goes into painstaking detail describing the borders of the land, mentioning individual trees and fields by name. After delineating the exact property line, the king goes on to stipulate that the monastery will not have to worry about taxes or someone seizing their land. The next document is "An Estate Memorandum: Duties and Perquisites." This gives a colorful picture of the many roles working together on a medieval estate, from the thane or retainer to craftsmen and farmers, to slaves. The...