Stannary Courts

Courts held in the stannaries in England. The stannaries were raining districts of Devon and Cornwall. Their exact extent was never definitely ascertained. The stannary courts resembled those of the palatine jurisdictions. The earliest charters conferring jurisdiction were in the reign of 'Richard I and John. Jurisdiction seemed to be only over the miners. A charter of 1305 gave them jurisdiction in all cases except those which touched land, life or limb. In 1640 the jurisdiction was settled; it was confined to a territory where a tinworks was situated; tin-workers could sue each other, and could sue foreigners if the case arose in the jurisdiction or concerned tin-work. The chief official was the Lord Warden, who appointed a vicewarden and stewards. The courts were held by the stewards; they had a lcet jurisdiction and a general common law jurisdiction, except as to land, lifo and limb. There was a jury of six. An appeal lay to the steward, and thence to the court of the vice-warden, the Lord Warden and the Prince of Wales’ Council, successively. The stannaries each hac\ a parliament consisting *of twenty-four persons who made and enforced laws. The Devonshire stannary courts seemed to have disappeared, but were reconstituted in 1856. Those of Cornwall had a continuous history. In 1836 the court of the vice-warden was given a concurrent equity and common law jurisdiction extending to other metals than tin. Appeals were to the Lord Warden, assisted by three or more members of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. In 1856, his Jurisdiction was extended to the Devonshire stannaries. In 1873 the court of the Lord Warden was merged in the Court of Appeal. In 1896, the jurisdiction of the court of the vice-warden was transferred to such of the county courts as the Lord Chancellor might direct. 1 Holdsw. Hist E. L. 57.

Courts in Devonshire and Cornwall for the administration of justice among the miners and tinners. These courts were held before the lord warden and his deputies by virtue of a privilege granted to the workers of the tin-mines there, to sue and be sued in their own courts only, in order that they might not be drawn away from their business by having to attend law-suits in distant couris. Brown.

Defined under Stannaries in Black's Law Dictionary.

In English law. Courts held for the stannaries, or tin mines in Devonshire and Cornwall, for the administration of justice among the tinners.

v. Court, 72.