Cistercian monasteries of the 12th and 13th acquired vast amounts of land from Norman magnates who were themselves preoccupied with eternal salvation These lands were fragmented and difficult to administer from a central base therefore a system of outlying farms were set up (grangia) staffed by lay brethren After the black death in the 14th century the recruitment of lay brethren became increasingly difficult and local peasant labour dried up The granges became an embarrassment and were liable to be let to local landowners
An association of farmers, designed to further their interests, and particularly to bring producers and consumers, farmers and manufacturers, into direct commercial relations, without intervention of middlemen or traders