The Court Leet

The Crown Steward formed the Court Leet. He summoned 24 tenants whom he chose (presumably those he considered worthy) as Jurors to form the Jury and Homage-an early form of a Committee or Council. A Foreman was appointed, the Reeve, a Chief Constable who appointed his deputies, a Hayward to see no cattle encroached on the common land, Affeerors who fixed the penalties for unauthorized grazing or building. Such an arrangement ensured the lands were beneficially managed and in the Lords and tenants interests.

Portland Court Leet remains and still meets to assert itself and the ancient rights of Portlanders when they consider them infringed by the local authority, enlarged by the linking of Portland to Weymouth in the local government re-organization of 1974.