Legal Definitions - novalia

Novalia

Novalia refers to newly cultivated land in Scots law. It comes from the Law Latin words "new lands" or "newly tilled land". In the past, exemptions from paying tithes or teinds were sometimes granted for novalia.

An example of novalia would be a farmer clearing a section of forest and planting crops for the first time. Another example would be a landowner reclaiming a marshy area and turning it into a pasture for grazing animals. In both cases, the land was previously uncultivated and is now considered novalia.

These examples illustrate the definition of novalia because they show how the term is used to describe land that has been newly cultivated or tilled. It is important to note that in the past, exemptions from paying tithes or teinds were sometimes granted for novalia, which shows how the term was used in a legal context.