In common with most religious houses and secular landholders, Dale Abbey seems to have largely ceased to cultivate its demesnes. This must have been accelerated by the demographic crises of the 14th century, particularly the Great Famine of 1315–1317 and the Black Death, which depressed land values and gave labour a scarcity value. A few leasing agreements made by the abbey survive. Among them is a 1404 lease of land and a house at Lamcote, near Radcliffe-on-Trent, to the Thuryff family. This was agreed, in keeping with tradition, on Lady Day and the rent was 20 shillings. The abbey promised to supply timber to help keep the buildings in good repair on condition that the tenants would arrange for its transport beyond Nottingham and supply the labour. On 7 April 1538, in the final year of the abbey, a close at Stanton by Dale, next to the common moor and called "the Condith felde," was leased to John Dylke for 26s. 8d. (two marks). The Court of Augmentations described the revenues from every estate, including the granges it valued, as either a "redditus" (something rendered, rent) or "firma" (farm), both indicating some kind of leasing arrangement. However, the granges of Boyah and Ockbrook are not listed with the others but do appear on the inventory taken on the day of the dissolution. The livestock and foodstuffs they contained were itemised and sold with those from the monastery itself, suggesting that their cultivation was still controlled by the canons themselves, as a ready source of food for their own refectory.