Hi Fred, Way back in the Middle Ages (and no doubt, before), the way things were done in England (and beyond) was that you had large farms. They were not just farms. There was very little of what we'd call 'central government'. So these farming units also had courts, were responsible for maintaining local roads, provided money and soldiers to the king, etc. They were both units of government and farms. They were headed by a guy who 'owned' it or rather held it from the king (no one owned land in the accepted sense) and he generally prefered to not live in a stinky hut with his pigs and tenants. So since the tenants owed him so many days of work for such privileges as protection from theives, they did what he told him, which included farming the manor land and building a big house, the manor house. The feudal system was brought to Scotland by its kings and onto Ireland by various English kings. When Ulster was finally subdues in the early 1600s a series of manors were also set up in it. This being the end of the feudal era, by the early 1800s, these became largely obsolete along with church parishes as an arm of government (parish poor houses). Some Ulster parish court records are published. For example "On the Shining Bann" has records from the late 1700s and early 1800s. No, I will not do any lookups. There is no index in the book. The published index is printed like the book in 2 point print! I don't gouge out eyes or do lookups from this book...sorry, not perfected the art of martrydom yet <grin>!! Maybe someone else will volunteer??? Pennsylvania was also set up with manors in the 1600s. If you read books on Pennsylvania land records, you will learn about manors too. Linda Merle -------------- Original message -------------- From: RMcfa45544@aol.com > I have read the first part of Guide Book by Rouston. I find the word > "Manor" I have an > idea what it is but can anyone tell me for sure of a good definition of what > it is and > what it is for ? I have used Websters already, I am wondering if this > might mean a > Manor house ? And if so same questions ? > If I can get this for sure I think I have found more of the family that > stayed in Ireland ? > Not sure yet , but if not I have found them in Penn and other places..... > Thank you for any help that may come my way. Fred > >