Legal Definitions - folkland

Definition: Land held by customary law, without written title. It is also spelled as folcland. It is different from bookland, which is land held under the terms of a charter. Folkland refers to land subject to customary law, which could be occupied by individuals, families, communities, or could be waste or unoccupied land. The only characteristic that can be universally ascribed to it is that it is not bookland.

Example: In Anglo-Saxon law, folkland was contrasted with bookland. Bookland was land that had a written title and was held under the terms of a charter. Folkland, on the other hand, was land that was held by customary law and did not have a written title. It could be occupied by individuals, families, or communities, or could be waste or unoccupied land.

Explanation: The example illustrates the difference between bookland and folkland. Bookland was land that had a written title and was held under the terms of a charter, while folkland was land that was held by customary law and did not have a written title. The example also shows that folkland could be occupied by individuals, families, or communities, or could be waste or unoccupied land.