The Role of English Officers in Norman-ruled England

In the early days after the Norman Conquest, English officers who knew the land and its people were tasked with collecting taxes and enforcing the laws. These officers, owing their power to the Normans, were often the most ruthless in their enforcement. Adding to the complexity was the lack of precise land boundaries, with ownership and boundaries largely based on local knowledge. The arrangement of Old English Life did not require extensive documentation of property maps.