landholding is how land is owned or rented

tenure is the conditions under which land is held

inheritance is land or other property that is passed on to an heir when someone dies

castelry is land under the control of a castle and used to support the castle

relief is a payment made by an heir to their overlord to be allowed to inherit a fief

Land and inheritance in Norman England

History

In this unit, pupils considered the nature of the changes that Norman rule brought to England and reviewed the extent to which some things remained the same. In 'Norman England: in what ways did life change for ordinary people?', pupils will consider the impact that the Norman Conquest had on the people of England.

In 'Norman England: how did William the Conqueror subdue England?', pupils learnt about the reaction of the Anglo-Saxons to Norman rule and how William consolidated his 1066 victories. In this unit, pupils will consider the nature of the changes that Norman rule brought to England and review the extent to which some things remained the same.

In this unit, pupils learn about the ways in which life changed for ordinary people under Norman rule. They examine life in villages and towns, the work and diet of various groups and the changing laws of Norman England. They reflect on the degree to which life changed, and for whom.

Norman England: how far did Norman government change England?

land or other property that is passed on to an heir when someone dies

land under the control of a castle and used to support the castle

Match the keywords to the correct definitions.

Which keyword describes a payment made by an heir to their overlord to be allowed to inherit a fief?

Who owned all the land in the Norman landholding system?

The system was not new and had been used by William in Normandy.

The system was brand new and had not been used by William in Normandy.

The system caused a huge change in how landholding in England worked.

The system caused no change in how landholding in England worked or who gained.

The system caused a huge change in who benefitted from landholding.

Which of the following are reasons why historians talk about a ‘tenurial revolution’ in Norman England?

land that could be granted to others for a set period

land specifically for supporting castles (castelries)

land that was previously owned by the Church

land that could only be passed on by inheritance

Which the following were types of tenure in Anglo-Saxon England?

Who was Harold Godwinson’s earldom of Wessex split between?

someone who granted land in return for service

a parcel of land given by an overlord to a vassal

to publicly submit and swear an oath of fealty (loyalty) to someone 

someone who provided a service to an overlord in return for land

Match the keywords to the correct definitions. 

Which keyword refers to a hierarchical social system where people receive land to live and work on from those higher than them, and in return have to work and fight for them? 

Select the missing words from this sentence: Holding land came with obligations such as paying {{}}, providing {{}} service or {{}} service.

Put the different levels of Anglo-Saxon social hierarchy in order, with 1 as the most powerful and 5 as the least powerful.

Put the different levels of Norman social hierarchy in order, with 1 as the most powerful and 4 as the least powerful.

It provided greater freedoms for peasants.

It provided regular sums of money to William.

It provided opportunities for William to show his piety.

It provided William with regular soldiers.

Why was the Norman hierarchy system important for maintaining William's authority?

Starter Quiz