Word Smith: Tithe Barn
Knowing what a tithe is and what a barn is only helps a tiny bit in this Word Smith exercise. Each word has some older and deeper references that the reader needs to understand in order to fully grasp the concept: Back in the Middle Ages, a tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe. The concept of tithing is a way to fulfill charitable obligations that many religious traditions learned from attending their Churches.
Tithe barns were usually associated with the village church or rectory and independent farmers took their tithes to these designated barns and stored them there.
In Stanway, England, (the Cotswolds) for example, the Tithe Barn was old enough to predate the Manor house. The Manor in Stanway was the place where the monks lived. And note that the 14th-century is a time prior to the concept of money. The monks would accept one-tenth (10%) of whatever the peasants produced (crops, wool, leather goods) for their expenses. It was known as feudal “rent.” Although the appropriate word for what the monks expected might be a DEMAND, yet it seems to have been an expectation, following the ethics from the Bible, rather than a litergical demand.
The Tithe Barn was also the place where the landlords hosted village fêtes. Everyone was invited to a pot luck affair where they ate, danced and drank into the weee hours of the morning. They each brought their finest dishes and the food was considered extraordinary.
These days the historic Tithe Barns are more likely going to be used for a wedding venue than any other charitable causes.
Back to the beginning: Tithe …
And then: Barn
Put them together and you have a clearer picture of Tithe Barn concept. Charitable obligations to your community measuring about 10% of your assets, stored in a common place on an adjacent property.
