Words In History: Grave
The word 'grave', of Old Norse origin, referred to an office holder, as historian George Redmonds reveals.
To read more of George's fascinating articles about the developing meaning of words down the centuries please click on http://www.openwriting.com/archives/words_in_history/
To purchase copies of George's books on a variety of historical subjects please visit
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=george+redmonds
This word has an Old Norse origin and referred to an office holder, usually a steward or churchwarden. It was current in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, and possibly in other parts of the former Danelaw, where it regularly interchanged with 'grieve' and 'greave'.
The extensive manor of Wakefield was subdivided for convenience into 'graveships', each under a grave whose entitlement to the office was based on the amount of land that he held.
Examples of the word date from c.1200 and it gave rise to the regional surnames Grave and Graveson.
