estovers

[e-stoh-verz]

plural noun

Law.

1. necessaries allowed by law, as wood and timber to a tenant or alimony to a spouse.

estovers

/ ɛˈstəʊvəz /

plural noun

1. law a right allowed by law to tenants of land to cut timber, esp for fuel and repairs

Word History and Origins

Origin of estovers¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French, noun use of Old French estovoir, estover to be necessary ≪ Latin est opus there is need

Word History and Origins

Origin of estovers¹

C15: from Anglo-French, plural of estover, n use of Old French estovoir to be necessary, from Latin est opus there is need

Example Sentences

Common of estovers is the liberty of taking the necessary wood for a house or farm from another's estate.

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The various kinds of estovers were thus known as house-bote, cart or plough-bote, hedge or hay-bote, and fire-bote respectively.

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Copyholders have similar rights over the land they occupy and over the waste of the manor, in which case the rights are known as “Commons of estovers.”

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Their rights of usufruct, grazing, pannage, estovers, turbary and piscary survived for many centuries before being terminated: first informally, later in wholesale acts of enclosure.

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Moreover, the statutes have never enabled an inclosure to be made against commoners entitled to estovers or turbary.

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