stannary

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   historical, usually plural: one of the tin-mining districts of Cornwall and Devon, together with its mines, works, and special legal institutions

   The vice-warden administered disputes arising within the stannary.

2. 2
   noun

   a tin mine or tinworks

   The old stannary processed ore from several nearby workings.

3. 3
   adj

   relating to tin mining, tin miners, or the laws and courts governing them

   The archive preserves judgments issued by the stannary court.

From Middle English stannarie and Medieval Latin stannaria, 'tin mine,' from Late Latin stannum, 'tin.' The word broadened from an individual mine or works to the tin-mining districts of Cornwall and Devon and their distinctive courts and administration.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary