Legal Definitions - vill

A vill is a historical term, primarily used in medieval England, that refers to a small administrative and geographical unit. It typically designated a village, hamlet, or other small settlement with defined boundaries. In a legal and administrative context, a vill served as a fundamental division for local governance, taxation, and military organization within larger districts such as a "hundred" or "wapentake."

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of a vill:

• Imagine a medieval tax collector in the 13th century. Instead of assessing individual households across a vast region, the king's officials would issue a demand for a specific amount of tax from each recognized vill within a larger county. For instance, the "Vill of Elmwood" would be responsible for collecting and remitting its allocated share of taxes, demonstrating its role as a distinct administrative unit with collective responsibilities.

  This example illustrates the vill as a discrete administrative entity responsible for fulfilling obligations like taxation within a larger governmental structure.

• Consider a historical land dispute in the 15th century. Court records might describe a contested piece of common land as being "situated within the boundaries of the Vill of Blackwater, adjacent to the lord's demesne." This indicates that "Blackwater" was recognized as a specific, defined geographical settlement with its own communal lands and a distinct identity, functioning as a vill.

  This example highlights the vill as a recognized geographical settlement with defined boundaries and communal resources, often central to local land ownership and disputes.

• During a medieval criminal trial, a defendant might be identified in court documents as "Thomas, son of Robert, of the Vill of Stonebridge." This not only specifies his place of origin but also, in a legal sense, connects him to the specific community and its local customs, laws, and obligations. The "vill" here signifies a recognized legal and social entity from which individuals derived their local identity and responsibilities.

  This example demonstrates how being part of a vill provided a person with a legal identity and tied them to the specific customs and responsibilities of that particular community.