Glossary of Land Terms

Glossary of the interpretation of terms and expressions used in Terriers & maps.

Butt. The area of ground lying between two furlongs.

Cinqueson, Cinqufoil, Cinquarson: See Sainfoin.

Close. ME ‘close’ Enclosed plot of ground.

Coppice ME ‘copys’, small woodland worked on a three, five or seven year cycle to produce light wood products such as wattles hurdles etc.

Dole A strip of meadow grass in the common meadow. Marked out to individuals in a similar manner to the field strips. Normally grazed in common after mowing.

Furlong A group of individual raised strips of ground. (furh-lang – furrow length)

Furson. Lying outside the yardland. Land with furze.

Fyther. Unclear, may be an old spelling of feather. A small piece of ground between furlongs lying at different angles, sometimes spelt Fither or Fother.

Gore. A piece of land which tapers to a point, normally ploughed across the field therefore giving reducing furrow lengths towards the point.

Grava. OE A grove, usually worked, such as a coppice.

Headland. The land at the end of a furlong group of raised ridges, used for turning the plough team, normally ploughed as the last operation or allowed to remain as a lane or access sike.

Hide. A term of land measure.

Hither. The nearer of two or more furlongs with a common locative name.

Land. An expression for an individual raised strip, see ridge.

Ley. OE ‘la/es’ a pasture. A land, ridge or furlong not in arable cultivation and used as shared grazing.

Meadow. Ground which is permanently used for hay production, often on a shared basis, followed by common grazing after haymaking.

Meer/Mere/Mear On the border or edge. (From mearc - boundary as distinct from Mere – small lake)

Nether. The further of two or more furlongs with a common locative name.

Open Field. Fields divided into strips or lands, distributed either as permanent or annual allocations to individuals. Cultivation was carried on in common by agreement.

Pingle. A small closed field, normally to hold stock for shearing or market.

Pyke. A ridge pointed at one end because of the angle between two furlongs.

Ridge. An expression for an individual raised strip, see land.

Sainfoin. From latin ‘Sane Hay’. A plant of the pea family grown for winter forage, normally in a dedicated field, generally named as ‘Sainfoin Field’ with spelling variations.

Selion As Ridge.

Sike. A piece of unploughed land between ploughed furlongs to provide an access way. Used for tethered grazing.

Sitch or Such. Land next to a stream.

Sydlinge. A piece of land beside the main ridges, often narrower than a full ridge.

Throwrote. Ground lying to each side of a lane.

Waste Common ground not in cultivation and usually shared grazing.

Yardland. Normally 30 – 80 acres. At enclosure it was 65 acres in Lighthorne.