Nearly 90% of Saxons were peasants, working on land controlled by Thegns
A small number of Cerols (free slaves) had the right to work for any Thegn
10% of Saxons were slaves
Earldoms were split into Shires, where a Shire Reeve (sheriff) collected the Geld Tax for the King and ran the King's Courts
If the courts could not decide someone's guilt, a trial by ordeal was carried out in a church so that God could be the judge
Churches were the social centres of towns and villages