Township (England)

In England, a township (Latin: villa) is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church. A township may or may not be coterminous with a chapelry, manor, or any other minor area of local administration.

The township is distinguished from the following:

• Vill: traditionally, among legal historians, a vill referred to the tract of land of a rural community, whereas township was used when referring to the tax and legal administration of that community.
• Chapelry: the 'parish' of a chapel (a church without full parochial functions).
• Tithing: the basic unit of the medieval Frankpledge system.

'Township' is, however, sometimes used loosely for any of the above.