Legal Definitions - alms fee

An alms fee is a historical legal term referring to a type of land ownership common in medieval England. It describes land that was held by a person or institution not in exchange for monetary rent or military service, but in return for providing religious or charitable services. This form of tenure was specifically known as frankalmoin, meaning "free alms." The holder of the land (the tenant) was obligated to perform spiritual duties, such as praying for the soul of the grantor (the person who gave the land) and their family, or providing care for the poor.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of an alms fee:

• Example 1: Grant to a Monastery

  Imagine a powerful medieval baron who, wishing to secure prayers for his salvation and the prosperity of his lineage, grants a significant estate to a newly established monastery. In exchange for holding this land, the monks are perpetually obligated to include the baron and his family in their daily prayers and masses. They do not pay rent or provide military service to the baron.

  This land is held as an alms fee because the monastery's right to the land is contingent upon their performance of spiritual, charitable services (prayers) rather than traditional feudal obligations like monetary payment or military aid.

• Example 2: Endowment for a Hospital

  Consider a wealthy merchant in the 14th century who is concerned about the welfare of the sick and destitute in his town. He donates a large tract of farmland to a religious order with the specific condition that the income generated from this land must be used to build and maintain a hospital, providing free care for the poor. The order also commits to offering prayers for the merchant's soul.

  The farmland constitutes an alms fee because the religious order holds the land not for profit or traditional rent, but for the express purpose of providing charitable healthcare and spiritual intercession, fulfilling a non-monetary, service-based obligation.

• Example 3: Support for a Chantry Priest

  A knight, before embarking on a perilous crusade, endows a small parcel of land to his local parish church. The condition of this endowment is that the church must use the income from this land to support a dedicated priest whose sole duty is to say daily masses in a specially built chapel for the knight's safe return and, should he fall in battle, for the salvation of his soul and the souls of his ancestors.

  This land is an alms fee because the church holds it in exchange for the specific religious service of perpetual prayers and masses for the grantor, rather than for rent or other feudal duties. The land's purpose is entirely charitable and spiritual.