Legal Definitions - lay fee

Lay Fee

Lay fee is a type of fee that refers to land ownership by a person who is not a member of the nobility or clergy. It is a form of freehold tenure that is held by a commoner.

Example 1: John, a farmer, owns a piece of land that he inherited from his father. This land is considered a lay fee because John is not a member of the nobility or clergy.

Example 2: Mary, a merchant, purchased a plot of land in the city. This land is also considered a lay fee because Mary is not a member of the nobility or clergy.

Lay fee is a term used to describe land ownership by commoners. It is a type of freehold tenure that is not held by members of the nobility or clergy. The examples illustrate this definition by showing how John, a farmer, and Mary, a merchant, both own land that is considered a lay fee because they are not members of the nobility or clergy.