Legal Definitions - ferdella terrae

Ferdella terrae is a historical Latin term originating from medieval England, used to describe a specific unit of land measurement. Depending on the region and period, it could refer to either:

• Ten acres of land.
• Twenty acres of land, which was also known as a "yard-land."

Here are some examples illustrating how this term might have been used:

• Example 1: A Peasant's Holding

  Imagine a medieval manor in the 13th century. A lord grants a new plot of land to a peasant family for cultivation. The manorial rolls record this grant as "one ferdella terrae," which in that particular manor's custom refers to ten acres. This amount of land would typically be sufficient for a family to grow crops for their sustenance and to fulfill their obligations to the lord.

  This example illustrates the use of "ferdella terrae" to denote a specific plot of ten acres, a common size for a peasant's farm within a feudal system.

• Example 2: A Larger Agricultural Grant

  Consider a charter from the 14th century detailing a grant from a monastery to a more prosperous tenant farmer. The charter specifies that the farmer is to receive "one ferdella terrae" for their agricultural endeavors, and in this specific region, a ferdella terrae was understood to be a yard-land, totaling twenty acres. This larger holding would allow the farmer to engage in more extensive crop rotation or animal husbandry.

  Here, "ferdella terrae" signifies a larger unit of twenty acres, known as a yard-land, indicating the flexibility and regional variation in the term's application.

• Example 3: Manorial Survey Records

  During a comprehensive survey of a large estate in the 15th century, a scribe is documenting all landholdings. One entry notes that "Richard of the Green holds three ferdella terrae." To accurately interpret this record, a historian would need to consult other contemporary documents from that specific manor to determine if a ferdella terrae there meant ten acres (making Richard's holding thirty acres) or twenty acres (making it sixty acres). The term served as a standard unit, but its precise acreage could vary by local custom.

  This example highlights how "ferdella terrae" functioned as a recognized unit in historical land records, while also demonstrating the potential ambiguity that could arise from its dual meaning, requiring contextual understanding.