This book provides a comprehensive introduction and essential guide to one of the most important institutions in medieval England and to its substantial archive. This is the first book to offer a detailed explanation of the form, structure and evolution of the manor and its records.

Mark Bailey is Headmaster of Leeds Grammar School and a Senior Visiting Lecturer at the University of Leeds

Preface and acknowledgements
PART ONE: THE COMPOSITION AND ORIGINS OF THE MANOR
1. Introduction
2. The characteristics of the medieval manor
3. The size and composition of medieval manors
4. Origins and development of the manor
5. Manorial documents
PART TWO: MANORIAL SURVEYS, EXTENTS AND RENTALS
6. Surveys and extents before c.1300
7. Land tenures and personal status on the medieval manor
8. Surveys, rentals and terriers after c.1300
9. Historical uses of surveys and extents
PART THREE: MANORIAL ACCOUNTS
10. The management of the manor
11. The format of the account
12. The evolution of the account
13. Historical uses of the account
14. Subsidiary documents of the account
PART FOUR: MANOR AND LEET COURTS
15. The manor court
16. The leet court
17. Manor and leet courts after c.1400
18. Historical uses of court rolls
19. Glossary
Select bibliography
Index