Regional customs

Anglo-Saxon farmers, working the land ©

We can see that, by the 960s, the Anglo-Saxon kings were taking into account several different linguistic groupings. These comprised those of the southern English, the West Saxons, the Mercians, the East Angles, and the Danes.

They also included the 'Britons' - speakers of Celtic languages (Welsh speakers on the English side of Offa's Dyke, Cornish speakers in the south-west, Cumbrians in the north-west). It is obvious from their legislation that they allowed for regional difference in custom too. At one point, Edgar actually says:

'It is my will that secular rights be in force among the Danes according to as good laws as they can best decide on... Among the English, however, whatever I and my advisors have added to the customs of my ancestors for the benefit of all the nation.'

For example, in the lands settled by the Danes, people had marriage customs particular to the region. Their administrative practice and land tenure (землекористування) were also different in practice and terminology. In the north, people had 'wapentakes' (уапентейк, район (единица административно-территориального деления некоторых северных графств Англии; соответствует "сотне" [hundred] в южных графствах)instead of hundreds to describe administrative areas, and they counted in 'carucates' (запашка (мера земли ≈ 120 акрам ≈ 48 га) instead of hides (хайд, надел земли; мера земельной площади). A hide was an area of about 120 acres, the amount of land traditionally believed to be adequate to support one family.

The legal traditions of the Danes were also different. It was they who evolved the 12-man jury system. This was soon borrowed by the English, who exported it to the rest of the world, and now claim to have invented it.

Part 3

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