Words In History: Greenpenny And Gressome
Historian George Redmonds examines the meanings of two words which long ago ceased to be in common use.
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Greenpenny
The meaning of this uncommon word is not clear, but it may refer to pennies paid for 'green hews'. It occurs in land deeds for Lealholm in North Yorkshire from 1686, where 'green pennyes and smoake pennyes' were paid to the landlord.
In Sussex the smoke penny was an episcopal due, comparable with the more widely used smoke farthing.
Gressome (Also Garsom, Gersum, Grassom)
This was the usual English spelling of 'gersum' in the northern counties. In 1509, the tenant of land at Halton Gill was required, on surrendering his lease, to let it to one of his sons, who would then 'agree with the abbey and convent for his gressome'.
Like 'garsom' the word was often linked directly with 'fine'. In 1651, in a case relating to the lordship of Tong manor it was asked what sums of money the defendant had received 'for fines and gressomes upon the demiseing of the landes'.
