yardland
(ˈjɑːdlənd)
Forms: see yard n.2 and land n.1; also 5 Sc. yertland.
[= yard of land, OE. ᵹyrd landes: see yard n.2 10 a.]
1. = yard n.2 10 a.
| c 1450 Godstow Reg. 205 [She] ȝaf & confermyd þe same ȝerdelonde þat reynolde of halso ȝaf to mynchons of Godestow. 14.. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 619 Virgata, a yerdlond. 1464 Rolls of Parlt. V. 516/2 A Mese, a Yerdland, 111 Acres of Medowe. 1496 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 492/1 Aliam peciam terre prope australem partem dicti tenementi inter le yertland ejusdem et terram quond. dicti Nich. 1517 Lincoln Dioc. Doc. (1914) 265, I bequeth to Robert my sone fforethers hous with the yarde londe. 1527 in Leadam Sel. Cases Star Chamber (Selden Soc.) II. 17 John Selby..was seased of a Mese a close and di. yeerd land with thappourtenaunces. 1551 in Phillipps Wills (c 1830) 199 A hous with on yeardland, lyging in Bloklley. 1581 Stanford Churchw. Acc. in Antiquary Apr. (1888) 172 Rec. of parisheoners by the yard lands towards the bell. 1592–3 Act 35 Eliz. c. 7 §8 Everie person havinge One Yarde Lande or more in his Possession lying w{supt}{suph}in the sayde Fyve Miles [of Oxford]. 1607 Norden Surv. Dial. iii. 97 How are the tenants stinted, whether by the yard-land, plow-land, oxe-gang, acres or rent. 1684 E. Chamberlayne Pres. St. Eng. (ed. 15) i. 17, 30 acres ordinarily make a yard-land. 1716 Lond. Gaz. No. 5487/4 A Messuage, Close, and half a Yard Land. 1720 Kennett Monitions & Advices ii. 55 The same worthy Benefactor gave another half yard Land unto the poor People of the Parish of Blaxley. 1740 in N. & Q. 7th Ser. I. 244/2 The said Mr. Cooper hath lett to the said John Weston..part of an Estate in Hugglescote, in the name of one Yard Land with Common for the said Yard Land. 1794 T. Davis Agric. Wilts 14 The tenantry yard-lands (or customary tenements) which are still subject to rights of common. Ibid. 15 There are many instances where a yard-land of about {pstlg}20 per annum, contains about two acres of meadow land, eighteen acres of arable.., and a right on the common fields..for perhaps forty sheep. 1883 Seebohm Engl. Vill. Comm. v. 164 The yard-land was the normal holding of the gebur or villanus. |
2. Incorrectly used for yard n.2 10 b.
| 1542 Recorde Gr. Artes K vij, A rodde of lande, whiche some call a roode, some a yarde londe. 1674 S. Jeake Arith. (1696) 67 A Rood is somtime called..a Yardland, but..very corruptly, for a Yardland containeth much more than an Acre. |
3. Comb., as yardland-holder.
| 1890 E. W. Watson Ashmore 31 The two plough-oxen, the universal outfit of the English yardland-holder. |
Hence ˈyardlander, a yardland-holder.
| 1891 Athenæum 16 May 632/3 The notes he gives as to the families of the yardlanders are most interesting. 1906 N. J. Hone Manor i. i. 11 In 1279 a yard-lander at Newington, Oxon, was bound to plough an acre of winter tillage. 1964 H. P. R. Finberg Lucerna ii. 32 It would obviously make for convenience to group the strips of each yardlander. |