Gavelkind was an old English tenure, by which the land of the father was at his death equally divided among his sons, or in default of sons, among the daughters. The issue of a deceased son inherited the father's part. Collaterally, also, when one brother died without issue all the other brothers inherited from him. Gavelkind, before the Norman Conquest, was the general custom of the realm; it was then superseded by the feudal law of primogeniture, and only retained in Wales and Kent. The custom continued in Wales until the time of Henry VIII; in Kent all land was still held in gavelkind unless specially disgavelled by act of parliament, until at least the start of the 20th century. Research Gavelkind
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Abbreviations
Research Gavelkind
