Extranei and the market for customary land on a Westminster Abbey manor inthe fifteenth century

This article attempts, through a case study of a fifteenth-century Essex ma nor, to explore both the extent of and reasons for outside investment may h ave issued and discusses developments within the manor which may have encou raged such investment. It is a contention of the article that a softening o f seigneurial policy was a significant stimulus to the incursion of outside rs, extranei, into the market for customary land. In turn, the long-cherish ed policies of landlords were, by the close of the period, challenged by th e expectations of the new wealthy and high status tenants.