Genealogy Chat

Hi, I have a relative that is classed as a freeholder in a Dorset 1807 poll book. What does this mean? Thanks for any help Steve

I would imagine that he owned the land that he lived on. If you buy property now it is either freehold or leasehold. Freehold means that when you've paid you own the land forever, and leasehold means you own it for the number of years that you bought the leasehold for (could be 50 years, 100 years etc. Kath. x

The issue of who was a tennant and who was a freeholder is quite interesting. When William the conqueror conquered England he claimed most of the land which he gave to his supporters. They were then able to exact a rent from the local farmers. Overtime these often became what was known as peppercorn rents. They often included items such as a rose at midsummer and eggs at easter. Sometimes it involved working for the lord of the manor one day a week or fighting for him if he went to war. Gradually it became uneconomic to collect these rents and tennants were able to live on the land free of charge. It was also possible to become a free man by living in the woods as Robin Hood and his merry men were doing or on common land. If you managed a year and a day without paying rent you did not have to. Some land was never claimed by the king or other landlords. Nowadays you are able to buy the free hold of your property for nine times the value of the groundrent. Iit cost us about £50 to do this.

How deep is a Freehold ? If it went to the center of the Earth it would be a awful lot of land. Not serious, but something to think about next time you are adding more rooms under your lawn to store all this family tree paperwork. Maurice

Surely someone must know how deep is a Freehold ? Maurice