Fief de la Cour

I went out early this morning before work to capture this historical blip.

Many centuries ago Guernsey was organised into a feudal society. The land was divided into areas called 'fiefs' and the owner of a fief was called a 'seigneur'. The seigneur granted small-holdings on his fief to tenants (peasant farmers) in return for rent and services. Guernsey was divided into over 70 fiefs by the Middle Ages. They still exist, but as feudal dues have been abolished (as recently as in 1980) they have less significance now.

A seigneur often had a manor house (manoir) on his land. Feudal tenants usually held their land for an annual rent in wheat (every 12th sheaf known as campart) and rent for his house was two fowls (poulage). Each fief had a court that met three times a year. It was presided over by a 'senechal' and 'vavasseurs', appointed by the seigneur. The court dealt with matters relating to the tenants obligations to their seigneur. Most courts met in the open air with the judges sitting on stone seats. My blip today is of one of these courts - Fief de la Cour.