Fealty of Harold (and England) to William of Normandy Feoffees, pronounced feffees (fee-fees) are a legacy of the Norman feudal system. They are a type of Trustee who is a guardian/administrator of an estate. Usually this is guided by instruction of a will or deed requiring certain controls and determinations. A feoffee is a person invested with a ‘fief’. Ancient in origin, a fief was an estate of land, especially one held on conditions of feudal service (a…
In England there are two very special dukedoms, they are royal territorial ‘Duchies’. These territorial areas have rights and privileges that are hereditary ‘fiefdoms’ from early feudal origins. They have some similarities to the estates of grand dukes of Europe in as much that they have sovereign HRH status. There is an important difference between the sovereign dukes and the dukes subordinate to the monarch. The estates of these dukes were inviolate and cannot be broken or dissolved through marriage…
English history has been led by the traditions of our monarchy. Our national identity results from an historic lineage that recognises inherited traditions dating back to Anglo-Saxon roots. Monarchy is associated with political and sociocultural hereditary rule. Our morally based society has evolved from the traditions created through the Christian based hereditary monarchy. The principle system of which has been the application of primogeniture or patrimonial lineage. The British Monarchy today is known as a constitutional monarchy. This means that…
Chevrons of De Clare, Earls of Gloucester ‘Glorious Gloucester’ Historic Roman city and county town. There is a Norman cathedral and medieval streets that follow patterns laid down by the Romans. Situated alongside the River Severn close to the Welsh border between the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean. It was founded in AD 97 by the Romans as Colonia Glevum Nervensis. Gloucester was granted its first charter in 1155 by Henry II. This city has had an important position…
‘Servitude to Freedom’ Coventry is a cathedral city in the heart of the British Isles. It has a reputation for its busy industrial history of high quality craftsmanship. From cloth making to watch making it was a market leader. St Mary’s Hall Background – Once part of Mercia, it had housed an ancient Saxon nunnery founded by St Osburga c700 AD. The area was ravaged by Cnut in the 11th century when the convent was destroyed by the Danes. Earl…
English Cultural Traditions Court of the Rochester Oyster and Floating Fisheries The national association of the ‘Freemen of England & Wales’ recognise the customary functions of several ancient enterprises that are still in operation today. For example, the Free Pasture Masters of Beverley, the Rochester Oyster and Floating Fisheries, the Free-Miners of the Forest of Dean and the custom of the Freemen of the Cinque Ports. Of course, there are other traditional guilds and companies that operate through custom in…
Residence of a medieval burgess in a borough town The tenure of the burgage formed the basis of ‘free’ unrestricted entitlement within a borough and its environs. Resident burgesses had rights that included the freedom to transact a trade, to erect or hire a market stall, and to graze animals on town common lands. More importantly was the right to vote over local government and possibly to elect two representative MPs to Parliament. Villainage and burghal systems were the principal…
Introduction by Alan G. Fallows, President (2010 ~ 2013) Over the past 5 years or so I have been involved in attempting to identify the problems affecting freemen throughout England and Wales by the requirements of the 2002 Land Registration Act. These deliberations have been complex to say the least and have, by necessity, involved not only the registration of land and the over-riding interests of freemen but also the questions of commons and commons registrations. In both these matters…
The City of London is unique, not only because it is the capital city of the British Isles. It was walled in Roman times and is contained within an area of about a square mile. This has not materially changed since before the Norman Conquest Over the centuries, the City has been chief in negotiating with England’s ruling monarchs and this has allowed the regulation of its own affairs. City merchants have advanced financial loans to assist with overseas wars…
Early English culture is classically symbolised at ceremonial events. Much developed in the 17th century and greatly enhanced by the 19th. At festival meals the silver services of guilds and livery companies can be truly magnificent (even awesome). Attendees of such festival events participate in actions of respect to their historic traditions. Ceremonially the mace and the macebearer represent ‘protection and defence’ and in a similar role a sword-bearer represents ‘peace and justice’. Constables likewise carry decorated truncheons that indicate…