ABSTRACT
The agricultural land recorded in the charters appears to have been extensive. It also seems to have been related closely to the geology and topography, with arable lands located upon gently sloping terrain where the soils were amenable. One must beware, however, of accepting the charter evidence of aecer and furlang at face value or as proof of a fully evolved open-field system. Over most of Worcestershire the clauses reveal the presence of considerable quantities of woodland, and even in the Severn Valley agricultural land seems to have been less extensive. In northwest Worcestershire there seems to have been less agricultural development than in the Feldon areas to the south-east and pastureland and woodland played a more important part in the rural economy. The emphasis of the Domesday survey of 1086 was almost entirely upon the agricultural potential of the land and there may be a danger of underestimating relevance of other aspects of the economy in early medieval England.
