Early medieval charters show the presence in León of a large number of local churches that worked as focus of hierarchy and organisation of the social landscape. This paper examines the role played by these churches in the social dynamics of early medieval rural communities, taking into account two main aspects. On the one hand, it examines the role played by these churches as an element of shaping, cohesion and identification of the communities. On the other hand, it analyses the role of local elites in the control of many of these churches, highlighting the tension between their individualised control and their character as ‘community’ churches. On this basis, a reflection on the relationship between peasant social differentiation and community cohesion in the early Middle Ages is proposed.