Legal Definitions - socmanry

Definition: Socmanry refers to a historical system of land tenure where people held land and tenements by performing simple services. The land was enfranchised by the sovereign from ancient demesne, and the people who held the land were called socmen. Socmanry also refers to the state of being a socman.

• A farmer who held land by performing simple services like plowing and harvesting was a socman.
• In medieval England, socmanry was a common form of land tenure.
• The enfranchisement of land from ancient demesne allowed people to become socmen and hold land without having to pay rent.

These examples illustrate how socmanry was a system of land tenure where people held land by performing simple services. It was a way for people to own land without having to pay rent, and it was a common practice in medieval England.