ll s ▁were ▁collected ▁at ▁the ▁bar riers ▁which ▁were ▁paid ▁to ▁the ▁territorial ▁lord . ▁From ▁the ▁beginning ▁there ▁were ▁in ns ▁at ▁these ▁points . ▁The ▁inn keep ers ▁provided ▁food ▁and ▁drink ▁for ▁the ▁pass ers - by . ▁They ▁also ▁exerc ised ▁so ver eign ▁functions ▁by ▁obser ving ▁the ▁ground ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁and ▁by ▁closing ▁the ▁bar riers ▁at ▁night . ▁ ▁In ▁many ▁cases , ▁the ▁roads ▁were ▁fl ank ed ▁by ▁d itch - bank - d itch ▁systems ▁on ▁both ▁sides , ▁so ▁that ▁no ▁one ▁could ▁enter ▁the ▁villages ▁outside ▁the ▁intended ▁route . ▁Wood en ▁brid ges ▁often ▁led ▁across ▁the ▁d itch es , ▁so ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁a ▁war , ▁the ▁road ▁could ▁be ▁closed ▁by ▁removing ▁the ▁bridge . ▁ ▁News ▁of ▁approaching ▁enemy ▁troops ▁or ▁visitors , ▁was ▁relay ed ▁along ▁the ▁land wehr s ▁to ▁the ▁Hinter land , ▁using ▁watch t ow ers ▁( for ▁example , ▁in ▁Mün ster land ). ▁In ▁u pl and ▁regions ▁this ▁was ▁also ▁achieved ▁by ▁observation ▁posts ▁( W arten ) ▁at ▁high ▁look outs ▁from ▁which ▁one ▁could ▁see ▁far ▁into ▁the ▁surrounding ▁coun tr ys ide . ▁Warning ▁of ▁approaching ▁enemies ▁was ▁given ▁by ▁optical ▁signals ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁smoke ▁signals , ▁flags , ▁mirror s ▁and ▁tor ches , ▁or ▁by ▁signal ▁horn s ▁and ▁church ▁b ells . ▁The ▁entire ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁village ▁and ▁its ▁neighbour ing ▁villages ▁were