I don’t know if it is missing from any dictionary, but I like the word, and this thread is dead.
So, purlieu: In Medieval England, if you were fortunate to acquire a new piece of land you
would want to have as many ceremonies as possible to make it clear the land belonged to
you. To assert the extent of your land you might have a ceremony called a
“Perambulation” in which you would walk around and record the boundaries of your
property in the presence of witnesses. If your land bordered on a royal forest, you might
find there was some confusion as to where your land started and the royal forest ended.
Luckily the law stated that if you performed a perambulation you could gain at least some
degree of ownership over disputed forest tracts, although your use of them would be
restricted by forest laws and royals would probably still have the right to hunt on them.
Such regained forest property was called a purlewe (or later - purlieu) which derives from
the Anglo-French word for perambulation. So if I find myself running around in circles
some day, at least it has some historical background. {word from M-W word of day}.
Sounds like squatters rights, which is called “adverse possesion” in real estate terminolgy.
This from Wikipedia: “In common law, adverse possession is the process by which title to another’s real property is acquired without compensation, by holding the property in a manner that conflicts with the true owner’s rights for a specified period of time.”
Although uncommon these days, adverse possession can still become an issue. If my neighbor uses part of my property as access his property, or builds a fence around part of myproperty and start grazing cattle on it, the law of adverse possession could cause that part of my property to change hands. The law says that (a) my neighbor must use my property openly, so that I can be aware of what he’s doing, for a specified period of time, and that (b) I must not say or do anything that could be interpreted as disagreeing with his actions. The statute of limitations on adverse possession differs from place to place. Generally, it’s about 10 years, I think.
So, keep walking around in circles, and you might become the owner of something without having to pay for it. Even if you don’t, the exercise will be good for you.
I have a neighbor, who for years, has tried to claim a part of my property which is about 18 inches wide and 30 feet long, as his own. He dumps leaves and twigs and lawn litter in it. I have fought him
over this and only in the last six weeks has he stopped (at least for now).
I figured this word would attract your attention, good.
In the purlieu definition given by another word of the day, which I copied above, I had the idea the acquisition was by purchase. I could be wrong.
I know of a situation in which one neighbor had another neighbor’s fence dug up and piled neatly in the latter’s back yard. The fence was a foot over the property line. Then neighbor one had the bill sent to neighbor two via registered mail, along with a word of encouragement from a local attorney.
And that is the crux of the problem. My fence is wood and is 18 inches from his chain link, as the fence company would not abut it next to his chain, without his taking his down and replacing it.
Something to do with their nail guns. He hates that I have a fence. It is for privacy and protection, as neighborhood kids from the six school nearby traipse thru the yards sometimes destructively.
And the neighbor’s yard is piled with pipes and the like as he used to be a plumber. It is a sight to behold. Hence he figures it is now free land for his usage. I have called police. The times he dumps
anything in the area I photo and date it, and the police stop by his house. My next step is an attorney letter as you mention.
Or why don’t you work it out like gentleman. For example, you could say, “If you will be thoughful enough to put your yard rubbish somewhere else, I will be kind enough not to frighten your children and shoot your dog.”
Or why don’t you work it out like gentleman. For example, you could say, “If you will be thoughful enough to put your yard rubbish somewhere else, I will be kind enough not to frighten your children and shoot your dog.”
If only this were possible. I don’t speak to him, the vulgarity I receive in return is not worth it. I got a restraining order on him once, and that was the
judge’s suggestion. He has not kept his side of the bargain. I have a whole file of ‘incidents’ he has engendered since that fiasco.
I tried to visit by way of Tom Robbins’ Villa Incognito, but the book was lost in the mail. Got a credit from Barnes & Noble, so maybe I can apply that to the cost of airfare.
Sounds like a “City of the Dead” or “City of the Damned” decision. But St. Augustine had a City of God to his credit. Don’t mess with Silver Backs!
What’s a Bailey Bridge??
