Mediæval 1066 to 1540

A landed estate or territorial unit, originally associated with a feudal lordship, consisting of the lord's demesne and the lands within which he has the right to exercise certain privileges, exact certain fees, etc. The term was loosely applied to any large estate during the later mediæval period.

In the 13th and 14th centuries some of the leading Cornish families provided their residences with some form of defence such as a moat.

Examples to visit