Learnings: The Ceorls, or Freemen

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The main factor that divided the classes of freemen was how much land they owned. With land came wealth; the more land a ceorl had, the higher their social status, privileges, and standard of living

At the bottom of the social ladder were ceorls with very little land. Unable to provide food for their families, these freemen would have relied on their local lord to survive. In exchange for the noble's support and protection, the ceorls would have been expected to work the lord's lands at least a few days a week.

One rung up the ladder were the ceorls who had enough land to support their families. These wealthier freemen would have worked for the lord on occasion to pay their rent.

Finally, at the top of the ladder were ceorls who had large tracts of Land. They may not have been expected to work on the lord's lands; they would just use their superior wealth to pay the aristocrat for his protection instead. They could also provide him with different services; offering horses or food, cutting his hedges, putting out snares to catch hares or other animals, making offerings to the Church on his behalf, running errands, or mending fences with tools such as this carpenter's axe head.