Legal Definitions - alms land

Definition: Alms land is a type of land tenure in which a religious institution holds land with a general duty to pray for the donor. It is a spiritual tenure that differs from the tenure by divine service, which requires specific church services.

Example: In medieval England, a wealthy landowner might donate land to a monastery or church as alms land. The religious institution would then hold the land and use it to generate income, but they would also have a duty to pray for the soul of the donor.

Explanation: The example illustrates how alms land worked in practice. The land was donated as a form of charity, and the religious institution would use it to support their activities. However, they also had a spiritual obligation to pray for the donor, which was seen as a way of ensuring their soul's salvation. This duty was less specific than the duty of divine service, which required the performance of specific religious rituals.