Genealogy Chat

Could someone explain what the Court Leet was and how it differed from a regular court? Thanks, Dan

Heard this not long ago. Must have a look in google for it in Wareham, and I'll see if you get there before me. :-) Joy

Every county in England was divided into 'hundreds', small administrative areas dating from Saxon times. A modern parallel would be a District Council. The hundred court consisted of representatives from all its manors and had jurisdiction over petty offence and civil affairs, which courts baron had not. Lords who found this irksome could apply to the Crown to have the rights of the Hundred Court applied to them for use in their own manors. Such an additional court in a manor we call the 'court leet' It met twice a year. It did not take long for a lord to fuse his court baron and court leet into one court, meeting only twice annually. Winter 1991 Index © Alcester & District Local History Society 1991 Hope this helps Judith

A court leet was a local court that would look after minor criminal matters and some areas of local administration, such as the running of a local market. They would take their responsibility from the local lord of the manor, or other local worthy landowner back in the middle ages. Members of the court would be responisble members of the local community, such as trades and craftsmen. Some courts leet remain around the country, these days focusing more on community and charity works.

Dan, there's loads to read!

Joy

Here is one example, and there are many other sites to explore!

The Court Leet of the Manor of Wareham is one of the few surviving remains of a once powerful feudal court system. The word 'leet' is an ancient one and possibly derives from the Anglo-French word 'litte' meaning a list and the word is still in use in Scotland for a list of candidates for office. The court leet would have dealt with everything within the Manor of Wareham concerned with local government and the maintenance of law and order. Such courts originated in the century following the Norman Conquest some 800 years ago and in those days, two forms of this system of local government were in force:

Courts Baron were the automatic right of a Lord to settle disputes etc. and to aid in the administration of his estate, but they had no right to deal with crimes or punish offenders;

Courts Leet were the more powerful courts of criminal jurisdiction, granted by the King to one of his trusted Tenants-in-chief.

In those days, law and order was also self-administered by the 'Frankpledge' system, where people were responsible for the conduct of one another in groups of ten householders (hence the word 'tithe' meaning a tenth); if one offended then the other nine were held responsible. When necessary, the 'Hue and Cry' system aided in the speedy apprehension of offenders. With the establishment of democratic Parliament and local government control, the court leet system gradually lost its powers:
after the 1880s courts leet no longer imposed fines;
in 1925 the 'Law of Property Act' abolished many manorial rights; and, finally
in 1977 court leet functions were further reduced to their current level during local government reorganisation.

The court leet of Wareham convenes at the end of November and consists of the office-holders listed below; many of whom, in recent years, have followed in the footsteps of their forefathers as members of the court.

The Lord of the Manor: Mr J.D.C.Ryder who succeeded to the title in 1986, following his father, who had held title for 58 years.

The Steward: Appointed by the Lord as his right-hand-man; quite literally the 'sty-ward', with the word sty in this case meaning 'hall'.

The Hayward: Appointed by the Lord as responsible for 'enclosures and fences'; that is the so-called 'common land'.

The Bailiff: Appointed by the Lord to administer 'arrests and summonses' and, in practice, to supervise court matters.

Bloomin eck Joy! Said simple terms :-) Thanks everyone for your replies. You've been a great help.

PS - from thisisdorset(.)net [remove brackets) November 2 years ago:- PINTS just short of the full measure and loaves slightly on the light side found no escape from the eagle-eyed members of Ware-ham's Court Leet. Publicans were left quaking as the 15 jury men and 13 officers of the court ransacked their prem-ises during their annual inspection of the town's pubs. In a tradition dating back to feudal times, the court took on the role of trading standards to check that the good people of Wareham were not being ripped-off. Led by court bailiff Hugh Elmes, resplendent in checked plus fours, the court left no loaf unchecked and no chimney unswept in their thorough examination. The ale tester had the enviable job of checking the quality of the beer in the pubs and also that pints filled the court's official pint measure. Chimney peepers ensured the pub's chimneys were swept clean, so as to prevent a repeat of the Great Fire of Wareham in 1762, scavengers checked the clean-liness of the pub toilets and bread weighers ensured a loaf weighed the full two pounds. The results of the court will be published on Friday when any guilty pub landlords will be fined in beer for their misdemeanours. The beer will sit in a common pot to be shared between the general public and members of the court. Historically, the court officers were appointed by the lord of the manor to carry out his wishes and oversee good order. Today, just 32 Courts Leet survive in the UK. Most are largely ceremonial but Wareham's Court Leet is one of the few that still carries out its ancient duties in some form. Court bailiff Hugh Elmes said: "It's a very, very old custom but once upon a time the whole country was governed by this. "We have no powers as such, they have been taken away, but it's rather nice to carry on the customs and we still have a lord of the manor who is prepared to do this. "Most of the landlords are happy to allow us in because it generates extra revenue and publicity for them at a quiet time of year. "It's a shame that lots of other towns have lost this custom because it attracts a lot of people and it's a bit of fun."

Daniel, all these esoteric questions you're posting: what are you looking at? Where have you got hold of it? And, is it interesting? Brenda

I've been commissioned to write a case study for Your Family Tree Magazine. Got to get my facts together. I shall be including everyone on G.R as one of my sources. :-)

Hi Daniel, Well suffice it to say you've enough details about what the Court Leet did anyway ! :) My Gt Gt Gt Grandfather was the last town crier of Birmingham, and one of his first duties of office in 1827 was to call in the jury for the Court Leet. I have quite a few more details about what his duties entailed if they're any use to you just send me a message. Sioux