The Thane
Ruling the Village


An Anglo-Saxon Thane (or Thegn) - © Nash Ford Publishing
 
  • This is a great hall. It is the home of Thane (or Thegn) Cuthred. His friends call him Cutha.
  • A thane had to own "five hides of land, a bell, a castle-gate, a seat" and have a "special office in the King's Hall".
  • Cutha owns all the land in the village and the local area. He owns lands elsewhere too and sometimes lives on those instead.
  • He is very powerful. Everyone in the village has to do what he says and come and work on his land for one or more days a week: ploughing, harrowing, weeding, harvesting, haymaking & ditching.
  • He is very rich. He can afford to live in a great hall where he can feast and his minstrel can entertain his friends. This stands in a special enclosed area away from the rest of the village where there are also other buildings for the thane to use.
  • He has made a promise to be loyal to the King and has a job as one of the Royal huntsman. He must join the the King's army in times of war, and bring men from the village with him.
  • Cutha has a seal (for sealing letters and documents) to prove how important he is.
  • Cutha pays for the repair roads and bridges for the villagers and makes sure everyone obeys the laws.
  • When he is not there, his steward or 'village reeve' runs things for him.

 

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