Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 10 History Guides

Year 10 - History

Justice and the legal system in Norman England

British Depth Study: Norman England, c1066–c1100

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils study an aspect of British medieval history in depth. They learn about the social, economic, religious and political events that influenced the lives of those who lived in this period.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to evaluate the extent to which justice and the legal system changed under the Normans.

Key Notes

  • The Normans made relatively few changes to the English legal system.
  • Hundred courts and shire courts remained, but Normans took over as sheriffs and the role increased in power.
  • Norman England had more central control over the legal system than had been the case in Anglo-Saxon England.
  • The Normans introduced the murdrum fine and criminalised the use of resources from royal forests.
  • Normans and Anglo-Saxons were treated differently by the justice system.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • justice: justice is the principles behind laws, including who benefits from the legal system; a justice was also another name for a judge
  • hundred court: a hundred court is a lower court that dealt with local disputes and minor criminal cases
  • shire court: a shire court is a court at the shire level which dealt with more serious criminal cases and land disputes
  • sheriff: a sheriff is the king's officer at the shire level

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Trial by combat and trial by ordeal were punishments for crimes.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.

The Normans made relatively few changes to the English legal system. Hundred courts and shire courts remained, but Normans took over as sheriffs and the role increased in power.

2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'justice'

justice is the principles behind laws, including who benefits from the legal system; a justice was also another name for a judge.

3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.

Mistake: Trial by combat and trial by ordeal were punishments for crimes. Correction: Trial by combat and trial by ordeal were ways of finding out who God judged as being innocent and guilty, though the ordeal was certainly punishing for both parties.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 10 History guide library.