| Seigneuries had a fundamental role in the
generation of the human landscape along the St. Lawrence.
Their rationale is quite simple. As many settlers as
possible must have access to a river (the St. Lawrence in
many instances). At that time roads were unreliable and
rivers were the best way to ship goods and transport
people, even during winter when frozen water provided
easy to use roads. This is why each land parcel (a Censive)
is long but narrow. When all the space along the river
was occupied, a second row was added and was accessible
through Montées. A river could also impose an
horizontal pattern. The Seigneur had a domain which
generally contained a mill, a parcel of land owned by the
Church and was adjacent to the common land. An average
Seigneury was about 24 to 48 km long and 6.5 km wide.
Habitants were generally given .34 hectares.At the end of the French Regime,
around 200 Seigneuries were conceded along the St.
Lawrence. |
