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Simple English definitions for legal terms
gavelkind
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A quick definition of gavelkind:
Gavelkind is an old way of dividing land that was used before 1066. It means that when someone died, their land was divided equally among their sons. This way of dividing land was mostly used in Kent. People who held land in this way had some advantages, like being able to give it away in their will and being able to sell it when their heir was 15 years old. Gavelkind was abolished in 1925. The word "gavel" comes from an old word that meant rent or tax, and "kind" means nature or quality. So, gavelkind means land that yields rent or censual land.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Gavelkind is a type of land tenure that was common before 1066. It means that when a person died, their land was divided equally among their sons. This type of property division was mostly used in Kent. The person who held the land in this way had some advantages, such as being able to dispose of the land by will and the land not being taken away for certain crimes. Gavelkind was abolished in 1925.
Example: If a person owned a piece of land under gavelkind, and they had three sons, when they died, the land would be divided equally among the three sons. This meant that each son would inherit one-third of the land.
Explanation: This example illustrates how gavelkind worked. Instead of the land being passed down to the oldest son, as was common under primogeniture, the land was divided equally among all the sons. This meant that the land was split up into smaller pieces, which could make it easier for more people to own land.