Forms: see YARD sb.2 and LAND sb.; also 5 Sc. yertland. [= yard of land, OE. ʓyrd landes: see YARD sb.2 10 a.]
1. = YARD sb.2 10 a.
c. 1450. Godstow Reg., 205. [She] ȝaf & confermyd þe same ȝerdelonde þat reynolde of halso ȝaf to mynchons of Godestow.
14[?]. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 619. Virgata, a yerdlond.
1464. Rolls of Parlt., V. 516/2. A Mese, a Yerdland, 111 Acres of Medowe.
1496. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 492/1. Aliam peciam terre prope australem partem dicti tenementi inter le yertland ejusdem et terram quond. dicti Nich.
1517. Lincoln Dioc. Doc. (1914), 265. I bequeth to Robert my sone fiorethers hous with the yarde londe.
1527. in Leadam, Sel. Cases Star Chamber (Selden Soc.), II. 17. John Selby … was seased of a Mese a close and di. yeerd land with thappourtenaunces.
1551. in Phillipps, Wills (c. 1830), 199. A hous with on yeardland, lyging in Bloklley.
1581. Stanford Churchw. Acc., in Antiquary, April (1888), 172. Rec. of parisheoners by the yard lands towards the bell.
1592–3. Act 35 Eliz., c. 7 § 8. Everie person havinge One Yarde Lande or more in his Possession lying wthin the sayde Fyve Miles [of Oxford].
1607. Norden, Surv. Dial., III. 97. How are the tenants stinted, whether by the yard-land, plow-land, oxe-gang, acres or rent.
1684. E. Chamberlayne, Pres. St. Eng. (ed. 15), I. 17. 30 acres ordinarily make a yard-land.
1716. Lond. Gaz., No. 5487/4. A Messuage, Close, and half a Yard Land.
1720. Kennett, Monitions & Advices, II. 55. The same worthy Benefactor gave another half yard Land unto the poor people of the Parish of Blaxley.
1740. in N. & Q., 7th Ser. I. 244/2. The said Mr. Cooper hath lett to the said John Weston … part of an Estate in Hugglescote, in the name of one Yard Land with Common for the said Yard Land.
1794. T. Davis, Agric. Wilts, 14. The tenantry yard-lands (or customary tenements) which are still subject to rights of common. Ibid., 15. There are many instances where a yard-land of about £20 per annum, contains about two acres of meadow land, eighteen acres of arable…, and a right on the common fields … for perhaps forty sheep.
1883. Seebohm, Engl. Vill. Comm., v. 164. The yard-land was the normal holding of the gebur or villanus.
2. Incorrectly used for YARD sb.2 10 b.
1542. Recorde, Gr. Artes, K vij. A rodde of lande, whiche some call a roode, some a yarde londe.
1674. Jeake, Arith. (1696), 67. A Rood is somtime called … a Yardland, but … very corruptly, for a Yardland containeth much more than an Acre.
