Key features and elements of a medieval manor included:
Lord and Serfs: The lord of the manor held and controlled the estate, while serfs (or villeins) were peasants bound to the land and obliged to provide labour, services, and dues to the lord. Serfs were not slaves but had limited freedom and were tied to the manor.
Manorial Lands: The land included arable fields for crops, pastures for livestock, forests for timber and hunting, and other resources. The lord might allot some land to the peasants for their own use or rent it out.
Manorial Labour: Serfs performed various labour tasks, such as farming, tending livestock, harvesting crops, constructing and maintaining buildings, and general estate maintenance. In exchange for their labour, serfs received shelter, food, protection, and other benefits.
Corvée Labour: Serfs were obligated to provide a certain number of days of unpaid labour (called "corvée") on the lord's demesne (land cultivated directly by the lord). The amount of corvée varied depending on the region and manor.
Manor House: The lord's residence, the manor house, was typically a substantial and fortified structure. It provided living quarters for the lord and family, storage space, a kitchen, and administrative and legal functions.
Peasant Dwellings: The serfs lived in simple dwellings called cottages or hovels. These were usually dispersed around the manor but remained within the lord's control.
Local Administration: The lord, often with the assistance of a steward or bailiff, managed the day-to-day affairs of the manor. They oversaw agriculture, collected dues and rents, administered justice, and enforced rules within the manor's boundaries.
Mills, Bakeries, and Other Facilities: Manors often contained facilities like mills for grinding grain, bakeries, smithies, and workshops. These provided essential services for both the lord and the peasants.
Market Days: Some manors could have market days where local produce and goods were bought and sold. These facilitated trade and economic exchange within the manor and the broader region.
Feudal Obligations: Manors were part of a larger feudal system, where lords owed allegiance to higher-ranking nobles or the king in exchange for land and protection.
Medieval manors reflected the social, economic, and political structures of the medieval era, with the lord-serf relationship forming a core component of feudal societies.