Legal Definitions - horderium

The term horderium is a historical legal concept originating in England. It refers to a place or collection where valuable items, treasures, or important records were stored. Essentially, it signifies a hoard, treasury, or repository.

• Example 1: In medieval England, a wealthy baron might have a specially constructed, fortified chamber within his castle where he kept his family's jewels, precious metals, and important legal documents like land grants and charters. This secure chamber, safeguarding his most valuable possessions and records, would be considered his horderium.

  Explanation: This example illustrates a physical "treasury" or "repository" for valuable items and documents, fitting the historical context of the term.

• Example 2: Imagine a prominent English cathedral in the 16th century. The cathedral possessed a dedicated strongroom where it stored its most sacred relics, illuminated manuscripts, ancient parish registers, and the church's silver and gold communion vessels. This secure collection of the cathedral's most precious and historically significant assets functioned as its horderium.

  Explanation: Here, the term applies to a "hoard" or "repository" of both religious treasures and vital historical records, demonstrating its application beyond purely monetary wealth.

• Example 3: During the Tudor period, the Royal Mint and the Exchequer often maintained specific vaults within the Tower of London or other royal strongholds. These vaults held the kingdom's accumulated wealth, including gold and silver coinage, bullion, and crucial state papers. This central collection of national assets and official documents represented the Crown'shorderium.

  Explanation: This example highlights a large-scale, national "hoard" or "treasury" of immense value and importance, directly linking to the historical English context of the term.