Notable People of The Stearsby Estate
As of Æfteraliða, 800AD.
A Brief History
For the last 16 years, Stearsby had been ruled by Ealdorman Turold. The land had belonged to his father, and to his father before him. When Turold's father, Osbryht, died after a fall from his horse, Turold became Ealdorman of Stearsby at the age of 23.
Turold, however, did not want the responsibility of leadership. He spent his days hunting, drinking, and spending the Councils money. After several years of this, there was a confrontation between Eanlac Uhtredsson and Turold. With the support of the Council, Eanlac demanded that Turold either give up his right to rule, or take take the matters seriously. Turold decided that it was as last time to take on the responsibilities that he had neglected.
And so, Stearsby flourished. Life returned to normality. Turold was an effective leader when he put his mind to it, and accepted the help of the Council. This allowed them to share their grievances, worries, and ideas. Working together, the Council and the people of Stearsby were happy, and fulfilled.
But it was not to last. Turold began to grow arrogant, and tried to assume total control of Stearsby. Whilst he owned the land, he did not own the people. They grew resentful of his tyranny, and whilst obeying his orders, they began to plot against him. No one is sure what happened to Turold, on his final day upon this earth. Many say he passed away from a wasting illness. There are others who cry foul play.
One thing, however, is for certain. We shall never know.
The Ealdormen
The Ealdormen are the rulers and owners of the Estate. They are nominally appointed by their leige lord, usually an Eorl. However, in this case, the Ealdormen were appointed by former Eorl - now King of Eoferwick (York) - Ivarr Stormcrow. The current Ealdormen are:
- Ivar Grimmson.
- Fenja Birgirsdottir.
- Cunobelinus.
- Crimmthan Folctha.
The Council
The Council is made up of the Inner and Outer Ring, chosen by the Ealdormen. It is the Council's duty to aid the Ealdorman in the running of the Estate, but also to ensure that the Ealdormen abide by the rule of law. The Inner Ring act as immediate advisors and councilors to the Ealdormen. The Ealdormen cannot sit upon the Council in any capacity. The Outer Ring is made up of prominent individuals from the Estate. There are no limits to the number of Seats upon the Council, although it usually consists of 5-10 individuals.
The Inner Ring
- Godfrith Wiseword. Godfrith has been a part of the Inner Ring since he was appointed Steward 13 years ago. He is responsible for the day to day management of the estate. A popular figure amongst the people, Godfrith is a generous and wise man. He takes his role seriously, and will do the utmost to ensure that the people of Stearsby have the best.
- Cynferth the Joiner. Cynferth is a relatively new addition to the Inner Ring. A long-standing member of the Outer Ring, Cynferth was appointed to the Inner ring by Godfrith to advise with the large construction works that had been ordered. An accomplished carpenter, he has successfully managed the ongoing works, and had many completed ahead of schedule.
- Aebbe, wife of Eanlac. Since Eanlac's death seven years ago, Aebbe has been managing the Estates warehouse and stockpiles. A formidable woman, she takes no nonsense. The daughter of a shopkeep, Aebbe is one of the most literate members of the Council, especially when it concerns numeracy. Although it was difficult to begin with, Aebbe quickly proved herself capable and won the support of many of the villagers, particularly the womenfolk.
- Arnulf the Spear. A fearsome warrior in his prime, the aging warrior now organises and trains the Fyrd of Stearsby. Since Northumbria fell into war once more, he has resumed his position on the Inner Ring. With decades of experience under his belt, Arnulf has proved invaluable with his training of the Stearsby Wolves. A hard taskmaster, Arnulf will not stop until he is sure that he can send these men and boys into battle, and have most of them return.
The Outer Ring
- Drythelm Haflinsson. Owner of the villages Dairy, hives and coups, Drythelm is responsible for providing much of the villages food. He also employs many of the town's womenfolk.
- Berhtwald Heredsson. As the only barley farmer in the village, Berhtwald has the monopoly on supply to both the market and the brewery. As a result, he has become exceedingly wealthy.
- Godhelm the Shrewd. Owner of Godhelm's Goods, his family have become one of the wealthiest in the village. They have become popular with the town folk through their giving of alms to help those most in need.
- Liudolf and Sigeric Ost. Sons of Cynferth, Liudolf and Sigeric have shown themselves to be intelligent, capable young men. They have become de facto leaders of the Fyrd, learning under Arnulf. They have are popular with most of the men, especially those in the Fyrd.
- Wulfbert of Selby. As the village baker, Wulfbert provides steady employment to many of the young folk in the village, and often donates bread to the poor and needy.
Buildings of the Stearsby Estate
Stearsby Village
The Manor
Within the wooden palisade lies the Manor, the hub of Stearsby. The vast majority of the populace live, work, and relax within the Manor. It is the seat of power for the Council, and the Ealdormen.
Production:
Within the Manor lies much of the Estates ability to convert primary resources into secondary goods. These are:
- Chicken Coups
- Bee Hives
- Dairy
- Bakery
- Potters
- Blacksmithy
- Brewery
Commercial:
The center of the Manor is dedicated to a central retail area. Within, you can find:
- The large stone Marketplace, with numerous stalls.
- A Tavern - The Travellers Rest.
- Godhelm's Goods.
Residential:
Safe behind the palisades, most of the population reside here. These mostly take the form of Houses, Cottages, and Huts. Both free and slave villagers may reside within the Manor.
Military:
These are troubling times for Northumbria, and as such the Manor is home to several military installations. These include:
- The Palisade
- The Palisade Extension
- The Training Ground
- A defensive ditch around the Palisade
- A wooden Watchtower
Religious Buildings:
Whilst this is a heavily Christian village, many Danes fleeing the conflict have settled here, feeling safe under the protection of the Pagan Ealdormen. As such, there are two religious buildings here, a Christian Chapel and a smaller shrine to Odin.
The Outlying Hides
Whilst much of the focus for the Estate falls upon the Manor, the Outlying Hides make up the vast majority of the land. Of the total 625 hides that make up the Estate, 500 hides lie outside the Palisades. 60 hides are used by Calibus and his Enclave. Of the 440 hides remaining, currently only 23 hides are currently in use, with 155 hides of forest and 262 hides of uncleared land.
Production:
The backbone of the Estate is it's raw resource production. These include:
- Two Wheat Farms.
- A Barley Farm.
- An open pasture.
- A Dairy
- A Sheep Farm
- Two Hunting Lodges
- A Forestry
- A Pigsty
Residential:
Whilst some distance from the safety of the Manor, many workers find it more convenient to live closer to work. There are currently ten cottages dispersed throughout the hides.
The Enclave
Calibus and his Bandits-Come-Hunstmen have settled on 60 hides of land, on the border with Skewsby. They live in a series of cottages and huts. They support themselves with a number of Hunting Lodges and Forestries. They use this land free of rent in exchange for military service, and cessation of banditry.
The Economy At Stearsby
Division of Income
Taxation
The primary source of income for the Council Treasury is from Taxation upon the sale of goods. This is levied at 40%, however it only applies to items sold at market, or in the Tavern. Goods used for the sustenance of the Estate or the Fyrd are exempt. In practise, approximately one third of all goods produced are taxed, and only if the producing business is operating at a profit.
Produce Tax
From the fifteen production buildings, one hundred and thirty four Pounds are levied in tax.
Retail Tax
From the Tavern and the Marketplace, one hundred and seventy five Pounds are levied in tax.
Rental Income
The secondary source of income lies in Rental Income. As the Ealdormen are the owners of the land - at the pleasure of their liege - all those who live and work upon it must pay rent. This excludes Calibus' Enclave.
Rental Rates
Rent is not a standardised figure. It is charged according to the land that you are afforded to live on, and the standard of which you live. There are four levels of rent:
- Slave Hut - Slaves are exempt from rent.
- Cottage - Freeman who live in Cottages are expected to pay fifty pence per month.
- Craftsman's House - Craftsmen are expected to pay two hundred and forty pence per month.
- Merchant's House - Merchants are expected to pay seven hundred and twenty pence per month.
Division of Expenditure
Salaried Workers
One of the most important jobs of the Council is to make sure that each and every person is paid a fair wage. This ranges from four hundred and eighty pence a year for unskilled labour, up to nine hundred pence per year for the Steward. In total, the Council expend one hundred and sixty four Pounds per year on salaries.
Construction Projects
A continual expense for the Council is the construction and maintenance of buildings within the Estate. This ranges from repairing damaged buildings to the creation of new homes. This includes payment for materials, as well as the labour to complete the tasks. Whilst this cannot be given an exact yearly expense, it is a considerable sum.
Upkeep Of The Fyrd
In order to maintain a fighting force, sometimes the Fyrd must be raised. This consists of working age men, who are not critical to the management of the Estate. Each fyrdsmen will be paid the sum of ten shillings a month, with each weaponthane to be paid thirty shillings a month. Huntsmen from the Enclave are paid equally to fyrdsmen. Each man is expected to bring his own equipment. However in order to modernise and standardise the Stearsby Wolves, the Council recently purchased a large supply of military goods to outfit them.
Anglo-Saxon Money
The Anglo-Saxons, like many, base their monetary system around silver weight. Every five grams of silver was equal to one shilling. Each shilling is worth twelve pence, and twenty shillings are worth one Pound. Commonly, hacksilver will be used in place of shillings. Hacksilver is silver weighed at the price of the object one wishes to purchase. For example you could either pay with shillings, or cut a silver arm-ring in half and pay with that.
Most men and women would earn around four hundred and eighty pence a year, or forty shillings. A quick conversion - simplified, but accurate enough - would put one penny equal to twenty modern Pounds, one shilling equal to one hundred Pounds, and one Pound equal to four thousand, eight hundred Pounds.
One could buy a cow for roughly six shillings, or a male slave for sixteen. One hide of land - equal to one hundred and twenty acres - was worth a single Pound. You could expect to be fined one hundred and twenty shillings for getting into a fight, or two Pounds for violating the protection of an Ealdorman.