Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/140

 120 Hijlory of Domejlic Manners CHAPTER VII. EARLY ENGLISH HOUSES. THEIR GENERAL FORM AND DISTRIBUTION. AFTER the middle of the twelfth century, we begin to be better acquainted with the domeftic manners of our forefathers, and from that period to the end of the fourteenth century the change was very gradual, and in many refpefts they remained nearly the fame. In the middle claffes, efpecially in the towns, there had been a gradual fufion of Norman and Saxon manners, while the Norman fafliions and the Norman language prevailed in the higher clalTes, and the manners of the lower clalfes remained, probably, nearly the fame as before the Conqaeft. We now obtain a more perfeft notion of the houfes of all claffes, not only from more frequent and exa6t defcriptions, but from exifting remains. The principal part of the building was ftill the hall, or, according to the Norman word, the salle, but its old Saxon charader feems to have been fo univerfally acknowledged, that the firft or Saxon name prevailed over the other. The name now ufaally given to the whole dwelling-houfe was the Norman word maiioir or manor, and we find this applied popu- larly to the houfes of all claffes, excepting only the cottages of labouring people. In houfes of the twelfth century, the hall, ftanding on the ground floor, and open to the roof, ftill formed the principal feature of the building. The chamber generally adjoined to it at one end, and at the other was ufually a ftable (croiche). The whole building flood within a fmall enclofure, confifling of a yard or court in front, called in Norman aire (area), and a garden, which was furrounded ufually with a hedge and ditch. In front, the houle had ufually one door, which was the main entrance into the hall. From this latter apartment there was a door