Feet Of Fines For The County Of Lancaster Lancashire 1196-1558

The Feet of Fines, 1196-1558
Journey back to the heart of the Red Rose County and walk in the footsteps of your ancestors.

Have you hit a brick wall with your Lancashire family tree? Do your lines fade into the mists of medieval England? Beyond parish registers and census records lies a treasure trove of legal documents that name your ancestors, describe their lives, and prove their relationships: The Feet of Fines.

This meticulously compiled collection, Feet Of Fines For The County Of Lancaster, 1196-1558, is your key to unlocking over 350 years of Lancashire's history and your family's place within it.

What are Feet of Fines?

In medieval and early Tudor England, a "Fine" was not a penalty, but a formal agreement or lawsuit used to record the transfer of freehold land or property. To prevent forgery, the final agreement was written out three times on a single sheet of parchment. The three copies were separated by an indented, wavy line. The top two parts, the "chirographs," were given to the parties involved, while the bottom part—the "foot"—was retained by the royal court. These "Feet of Fines" are thus the official, enduring records of land deals, settlements, and inheritances.

Why This Collection is Invaluable for Your Genealogy:
For any family historian with roots in Lancashire, this collection is a game-changer. These documents are not just about land; they are about people.

Prove Direct Lineage: See your ancestors named as fathers, sons, husbands, and wives in legally binding documents. Witness the transfer of land from one generation to the next, confirming family connections when other records are silent.

Pinpoint Your Ancestors on the Map: Discover the exact manor, hamlet, or township where your family lived—from the bustling market towns of Preston and Wigan to the remote pastoral lands of the Lune Valley and the West Pennine Moors.

Establish Social Status and Wealth: In an era where land was the primary source of wealth and power, owning property signified status. These records place your ancestors within the social hierarchy, from humble yeomen to members of the county's influential gentry families.

Reveal Elusive Maiden Names: Wives were often essential parties to land transactions. These records frequently provide the full name of a wife, breaking through the frustrating genealogical barrier of unknown maiden names.
Navigate the Tumult of the Reformation: This collection covers one of England's most turbulent periods. Witness firsthand the seismic shift in land ownership during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII. Vast tracts of Lancashire land, previously held by great institutions like Whalley Abbey and Furness Abbey, were sold to laymen. Your ancestor may have been one of the first generation to acquire this former monastic land!

A Glimpse into Lancashire's Past: The Palatinate

Your ancestors were not just living in any county; they were subjects of the County Palatine of Lancaster. This gave Lancashire a unique status, governed with a degree of independence from the Crown, with its own courts and laws headed by the Duke of Lancaster (a title held by the reigning monarch since 1399). This collection records the very fabric of this proud and often fiercely independent region, a frontier land that looked towards the Irish Sea and the Scottish border. It documents the families who shaped the landscape long before the cotton mills and collieries would define it.