Early English Law refers to the legal system that developed in England from the Anglo-Saxon period through the Norman Conquest in 1066. It was characterized by local customs and traditions, with laws often enforced by local leaders or assemblies known as hundreds or shires. The focus was on community-based justice, where disputes were settled through negotiation or trial by ordeal. After the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror introduced a more centralized legal system, leading to the establishment of royal courts. This shift allowed for a more uniform application of laws across the kingdom, laying the groundwork for the development of common law, which would evolve over the centuries into the modern legal system.