Also 6–7 -gard(e.
1. The guard of a castle.
2. Feudal Syst. A kind of knight-service, whereby a feudal tenant was bound, when required, to defend the lord’s castle; the tenure of such service.
1576. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 140. The service of Castlegarde [at Dover] … was with the assent of King Henrie the third converted into a paiment of money.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 345. Lands in Kent … to be held in Castle-gard.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 87 a. The tenant ought by himselfe or by another to doe Castle-gard.
1700. Tyrrell, Hist. Eng., II. 815. No Constable shall distrein any Knight to give Money for Castle-Guard, if he will perform it in his own Person.
1764–7. Ld. Lyttelton, Hen. II., II. II. 184 (T.). One species of knight-service was castle-guard.
3. A tax originally in commutation of this service; also the territory chargeable therewith.
1576. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 140.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 48. Castle-gard is an imposition layd upon such of the Kings subjects as dwell within a certain compasse of any Castle, to the maintenance of such as watch and ward the Castle…. It is sometimes used for the circuit it selfe, which is inhabited by such as are subject to this service.
1888. Archæol. Rev., I. 57. In Pevensey Rape much of the land round the Castle was wardable, i. e. paid Castle-guard or Castle-ward.
attrib. 1704. Worlidge, Dict. Rust. et Urb., Castle-guard-rents; are Rents paid by those that dwell within the Precincts of any Castle, towards the Maintenance of such as Watch and Ward the same.
1888. Archæol. Rev., I. 57–8. A large number of manors in Hastings rape were held by Castle-guard tenure…. The Earl of Chichester, as owner of Hastings Castle, still receives Castle-guard rents in the Hundreds of Baldslow, [etc.].
