Legal Definitions - Green Cloth

Green Cloth refers to the Board of Green Cloth, which was responsible for governing the royal household staff, especially in financial matters such as accounting for expenses and paying servants' wages. The Board consisted of the Lord Steward and inferior officers, and its name derived from the green cloth that covered the table used by the Board to conduct its duties.

In ancient times, the Board also kept the peace and maintained courts of justice within the area around the royal household, known as the verge.

For example, the Board of Green Cloth would have been responsible for managing the finances of the servants who worked in the royal household, such as cooks, maids, and footmen. They would have also overseen the maintenance of the royal household and ensured that everything was running smoothly.