Walter - The Village Reeve

The life of a village reeve

Each year the free men of the village were allowed to vote for who they wanted as Reeve. In general the man chosen was among the wealthiest and most powerful villagers. He was not paid to be reeve, the honour itself being enough and he was often let off a number of taxes and duties by the lord.

As reeve it was his job to ensure that the agricultural side of village life was going as it should. The correct crops being planted, boundaries being adhered to and the land being regularly weeded.

It was a position of some standing, in manors without a lord or steward in residence the reeve may be called upon to collect the taxes.

Walter's story...

Walter and his family originally come from the marcher lands of Gwent Iscoed.

As a mere stripling Walter ran away from home seeking adventure and joined the retinue of lord Audley. At first he earned his keep by doing jobs around camp, but when old enough he went to war. Eventually he took his place as one of Audleys mounted men at arms.

After many campaigns and battles with numerous lords and their retinues, Walter found himself riding through the small village of Cosmeston. It was here that his eyes fell upon a young maid named Charlotte, he particularly found himself drawn towards her attractive and tempting inheritance.

Soon they were wed and after a number of years as an absentee husband, Walter gave up the military life and settled down to become one of the wealthiest villagers at Cosmeston.

With the power of Charlottes pennies behind him, Walter like Charlotte's father and his father before him, became reeve.

Now Walter and Charlotte pay rental on a cottage, byre, barn, 1 acre of arable land, half an acre of pastoral, two lengths of eel ditching and 2 acres of mixed grazing.

Walter also has an interest in commerce with one two hundredths of a share in the good ship Beau Marie out of Bordeaux that trades mainly in wine.

Walter and his wife Charlotte have one of the highest standards of living in the village, but does this wealth make them happy?

The answer is of course ....... YES!