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demesne Definition

de·mesne (di mān′; also, -mēn′)

noun

  1. Law possession (of real estate) in one's own right
  2. Historical the land or estate belonging to a lord and not rented or let but kept in his hands
  3. the land around a mansion; lands of an estate
  4. a region or domain: also used figuratively

Etymology: ME & OFr demeine < L dominium (see domain); sp. altered by assoc. with OFr mesnee, household < L mansio: see mansion

demesne Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • crown: The manor of Melbourne was part of the ancient demesne of the crown.
  • manor: The demesnes of other royal manors in Carmarthenshire had been the special object of the predatory activities of the tenantry.

Possessives

king: If there was no heir, the lands went back to the king's demesne.

Converse of object

  • lease: He apparently leased the demesnes from then until 1547 at least.
  • have: The manor, part of Fulham, had no demesne, and apart from a brief period before c.
  • pass: The hall and demesne subsequently passed through various families, and is now the property of the Countess of Clarendon.
  • include: By order of Louis X11 these had been in an Etat General which included both demesne and extraordinary income.
  • hold: In 1814, Blackley Hall and demesne held by the Leighs was sold in 34 lots.

Adjective modifier

  • manorial: From 1458 the manorial demesne was let on 10year leases at £ 8 a year.
  • royal: At Domesday survey, the manor, which had belonged to Earl Alger, was part of the royal demesne.
  • ancient: The manor of Melbourne was part of the ancient demesne of the crown.
  • former: Some former demesnes have been planted with conifers ( e.g.
  • large: They consolidated their hold on what were, in terms of western European norms of the time, unusually large demesnes.
  • well-planted: Luthrie House is a handsome mansion, finely situated in a well-planted demesne.

Modifies a noun

  • farmland: There were 296 a. of demesne farmland in 1646, ( fn.
  • woodland: Demesne woodland ( lowland woodland pasture and parkland ) includes that at The Argory ( a National Trust property ).
  • land: Other lands acquired by the owners of the manor became merged in the demesne lands.
  • farm: Or the demesne farm could be let on a leasehold.
  • wood: Of the freehold, 60 a. of demesne wood was in hand and Sir Wm.
  • account: Together with Olwen Myhill the researchers have assembled a catalog of Kentish demesne accounts, which has been submitted for publication.