(in Anglo-Saxon England) a freeman of the lowest class, ranking directly below a thane.
Example sentencesExamples
If a ceorl and his wife have a child, and the ceorl dies, the mother shall keep her child and bring it up.
Even the West Saxon ceorl appears as the head of a free peasant household, owing military service, capable of owning slaves, and with significant legal status.
The fully armed late Saxon warrior was something more than a ceorl turned soldier.
There were three main classes of ceorl, although the dividing line between the classes was indistinct.
All ceorls could win promotion through prosperity or military service.