wapentake

[ wop-uhn-teyk, wap- ]

noun

1. (formerly in N England and the Midlands) a subdivision of a shire or county corresponding to a hundred.

wapentake

/ ˈwæp-; ˈwɒpənˌteɪk /

noun

1. English legal history a subdivision of certain shires or counties, esp in the Midlands and North of England, corresponding to the hundred in other shires

Word History and Origins

Origin of wapentake¹

before 1000; Middle English < Old Norse vāpnatak (compare Old English wǣpen-getæc ) show of weapons at public voting, equivalent to vāpna (genitive plural of vāpn weapon ) + tak taking; take

Word History and Origins

Origin of wapentake¹

Old English wǣpen ( ge ) tæc, from Old Norse vāpnatak, from vápn weapon + tak take

Example Sentences

Pagus, pā′gus, n. a country district with scattered hamlets, also its fortified centre: among the early Teutons, a division of the territory larger than a village, like a wapentake or hundred.

From Project Gutenberg

The Courts of Pie Poudre, at Appleby and several other places; the Court of Conscience, or, as it was commonly called, the Wapentake Court, and the Court of Record at Kendal; and the many Court Leets, are now merely matters of local history.

From Project Gutenberg

South-East div division pa parish wap wapentake S.W.

From Project Gutenberg

It is a subinfeudation of lands in the township of Pickburn-with-Brodsworth, in the parish of Brodsworth and wapentake of Strafforth, four miles north-west of Doncaster; for which Gilbert Cook paid a gersuma or fine to Jordan de Pickburn.

From Project Gutenberg

The abbot’s power throughout the lordship was almost absolute; he had a market and fair at Dalton, was free from service to the county and wapentake, and held a sheriff’s tourn.

From Project Gutenberg