Legal Definitions - socmanry

Socmanry is a historical term from medieval English law referring to a specific type of land tenure where a tenant, known as a socman, held land in exchange for fixed, non-military services or payments. Unlike other feudal arrangements that might require military service or uncertain labor, socmanry involved obligations that were clearly defined and often agricultural in nature, such as providing a set amount of produce, performing specific farming tasks, or paying a fixed rent. It was considered a relatively "free" form of tenure because the tenant's duties were certain and generally less burdensome.

Here are some examples illustrating socmanry:

• Imagine a small farming family in 13th-century England. Their plot of land is held under socmanry. Instead of fighting in the lord's army or performing arbitrary labor, the head of the household is obligated to deliver a specific quantity of oats to the lord's granary each autumn and spend three days a year mending fences on the lord's estate. These are fixed, non-military services, clearly defining their tenure.

• Consider a village that was historically part of the Crown's personal estates (known as ancient demesne). Over time, the sovereign "enfranchised" this land, granting the villagers more favorable terms. Now, the villagers hold their plots through socmanry, meaning their primary obligation is a fixed annual monetary payment to the Crown, rather than being subject to the more extensive and variable services previously demanded from royal tenants. This illustrates land held by simple, fixed services after being freed from older, more burdensome obligations.

• Picture a village carpenter who also holds a small parcel of land to grow vegetables. His tenure is an example of socmanry because, in exchange for his land, he is required to provide the local lord with a new plowshare once a year and repair the manor house gates whenever needed, up to a maximum of two days' work. These are specific, non-military services that define his landholding agreement.