What were churls?

Churls were historically a term used in medieval England to describe lower-class peasants or serfs, typically free men who owned some land but were of humble status. They were often subject to the lord's authority and had limited rights compared to the nobility. Over time, the term evolved, and by the later Middle Ages, it came to denote someone who was rude or ill-mannered. In modern usage, "churl" can refer to a surly or miserly person.