Legal Definitions - ham

The term "ham" historically refers to two primary concepts:

• A place of dwelling or a village: This is the most common historical meaning, signifying a settlement or a community of homes.
• A small, often enclosed, piece of land or pasture: In some contexts, particularly in older legal documents, "ham" could refer to a specific parcel of land, often one that was fenced or clearly delineated.

Today, "ham" is most frequently encountered as a suffix in place names, reflecting the historical origin of these locations as settlements or villages.

Examples:

• Historical Land Grant: A medieval royal charter might describe the boundaries of a newly granted estate as "extending from the great oak to the northern edge of the ham of Sutton."

  Explanation: In this context, "ham" clearly refers to the village of Sutton, serving as a recognizable landmark to define the limits of the property being conveyed.

• Modern Place Name Origin: The city of Nottingham, for instance, derives its name from an Old English phrase meaning "the homestead or settlement of Snot's people."

  Explanation: This illustrates how "ham" is commonly incorporated into the names of towns and cities, indicating their historical foundation as a dwelling place or village.

• Ancient Property Description: An old deed from the 17th century might detail a property as "that certain ham, being an enclosed pasture of five acres situated by the mill stream, heretofore known as Miller's Ham."

  Explanation: Here, "ham" denotes a specific, enclosed piece of land, likely used for grazing or agriculture, demonstrating its use in historical property descriptions to identify a particular parcel.