Copyhold (Noun)
Meaning
A medieval form of land tenure in England; a copyhold was a parcel of land granted to a peasant by the lord of the manor in return for agricultural services.
Classification
Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession.
Examples
- The peasant held his land as a copyhold, meaning he had to provide a certain number of days of labor to the lord of the manor in exchange for the right to farm it.
- The lord of the manor granted a small parcel of land to the new tenant as a copyhold, along with the obligation to work on the manor's lands for several days a week.
- In medieval England, the majority of peasants held their land as copyholds, with the lord of the manor retaining ultimate control over the land and its use.
- The copyhold system allowed peasants to have some degree of control over their land, but it also tied them to the manor and limited their ability to leave or sell their property.
- As the copyhold system began to decline, many peasants were able to gain full ownership of their land, ending their obligation to provide labor to the lord of the manor.