A tything was a grouping of ten hides. It functioned as a local self-policing unit, where the heads of each household (the tithingmen) were collectively responsible for each other’s conduct under the system of frankpledge. If one member committed a crime, the others were obliged to bring him to justice or face fines themselves
As a unit of civil administration, tax assessors often recorded tax collections based on tithings.
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