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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zapak Vim" data-source="post: 3257038" data-attributes="member: 15072">since we are on the topic, I am reading a very good book at the momentUrban life in the Middle Ages, 1000-1450 by Keith D. Lilley.published by Palgrave, 2001 in New YorkISBN       033371248X (cloth) 0333712498 (pbk.)its kinda academic in places but has lots of stuff I did not know, about property in medieval cities.eg, you will have heard the term 'burgher' as a name of a respectable townsperson in a medieval setting. buts its proper meaning is quite intersting.In a medieval town, often the the king or feudal lord still owned the land, but leased out plots (called Burgages) for a fairly low rent. the people who rented them were called Burghers and had various rights in the city. They could also sell on the plots or sublease them or build on them or what ever. But who ever owned them still had to pay a rent to the lord. In return the Burghers had various rights in the town, including taking part in the local government of the town. If you weren't a burgher, you dont get any rights. So you could own buildings and be quite rich, but you only got certain legal rights if you owned a burgage (the bit of land under the buildings).A burgage was usually a long narrow bit of land with the narrow end facing the main street.<a href="http://www.chippingnorton.net/Features/BURGAGE.htm" target="_blank">http://www.chippingnorton.net/Features/BURGAGE.htm</a>Zapak</blockquote>