Legal Definitions - wend

Wend

In historical legal contexts, a wend refers to either a substantial tract or section of land, or the act of walking around and formally defining the boundaries of a specific area, often for legal or administrative purposes. This term is primarily encountered in older documents and historical records.

• Example 1: Defining a Lord's Estate

  In a 14th-century land grant, a king might have bestowed upon a loyal baron a vast territory described as a "wend" that included several villages, their surrounding farmlands, and a significant forest. This "wend" would represent the entire, extensive estate under the baron's control.

  This example illustrates "wend" as a large, distinct section of land, granted and recognized as a single entity.

• Example 2: Resolving a Boundary Dispute

  When two medieval parishes disputed the exact location of their shared border, local officials and respected elders might have conducted a "wend." This involved them physically walking the agreed-upon or traditional boundary line, marking trees or placing stones, to formally establish and record the precise limits of each parish's jurisdiction.

  Here, "wend" refers to the act of perambulation or making a circuit to define and confirm property or jurisdictional boundaries.

• Example 3: Administrative Land Division

  Following a historical conquest, a monarch might have issued a decree dividing the newly acquired territory into several administrative "wends." Each "wend" would be a large, designated region assigned to a specific governor responsible for its governance, taxation, and defense.

  This demonstrates "wend" as a substantial, formally designated section of land used for administrative organization.