Legal Definitions - farthing of land

The term farthing of land refers to a historical unit of land measurement, signifying an area equivalent to one-quarter of a larger, unspecified parcel of land. Much like a "farthing" coin was historically one-quarter of a penny, a "farthing of land" represented a fractional division of a larger estate or holding. The actual size of a farthing of land could vary significantly depending on the size of the larger unit it was derived from, ranging from a quarter of a substantial unit like a "hide" (which could be around 60-120 acres) to a quarter of a smaller unit like an acre.

Here are some examples illustrating the historical application of this term:

• Feudal Land Grant: In medieval England, a lord might grant a tenant a small plot of land for sustenance and service. A historical record could state that a particular peasant family was granted a farthing of land from the manor's common fields. This would mean they received a quarter of a designated larger field, allowing them enough space to cultivate crops for their family.

  This example demonstrates how the term was used to describe the division of a larger estate into smaller, manageable portions for individual tenants, reflecting its meaning as a quarter share.

• Inheritance and Estate Division: Imagine a will from the 16th century where a landowner, upon his death, specifies how his property should be divided among his children. He might bequeath a specific field to his eldest son, but leave his youngest daughter a farthing of land from a particular pasture. This would mean she inherited a quarter of that pasture, providing her with a small, defined asset.

  This example illustrates the term's use in legal documents related to inheritance, where it served to precisely define a fractional share of a larger property being passed down.

• Land Sale or Transaction: A historical deed might record the sale of a small, specific plot of land between two villagers. The document could describe the property being transferred as a farthing of land located near the village stream. This indicates that the plot was a quarter of a larger, previously recognized land unit in that area, perhaps a quarter of an acre or a quarter of a common plot.

  This example shows how the term was used in land transactions to specify the size and nature of a smaller parcel of land being bought or sold, indicating its precise, albeit variable, measurement.