Lord of the manor is a title that, in Anglo-Saxon England and Norman England, referred to the landholder of a rural estate. The titles date to the English feudal (specifically Baronial) system. The lord enjoyed manorial rights (the rights to establish and occupy a residence, known as the manor house and demesne) as well as seignory, the right to grant or draw benefit from the estate (for example, as a landlord). The title is not a peerage or title of nobility (although the holder of could also be peer) but was a relationship to land and how it could be used and those living on the land (tenants) may be deployed, and the broad estate and its inhabitants administered. The title continues in modern England and Wales as a legally recognised form of property that can be held independently of its other property rights.[1] It may belong entirely to one person or be a moiety shared with other people. The title is known as Breyr in Welsh.
In the British Crown Dependencies of Jersey and Guernsey the equivalent title is Seigneur.
A similar concept of such a lordship is known in French as Sieur or Seigneur du Manoir, Gutsherr in German, Kaleağası (Kaleagasi) in Turkish, Godsherre in Norwegian and Swedish, Ambachtsheer in Dutch, and Signore or Vassallo in Italian.
La mansión formaba la unidad básica de propiedad de la tierra dentro del sistema baronial. Inicialmente, en Inglaterra, el sistema feudal "baronial" consideraba "barones" a todos aquellos que poseían tierras directamente del rey mediante el servicio de caballeros , desde condes hacia abajo. Otras formas de tenencia de la tierra bajo el sistema feudal incluían el sargento (una forma de tenencia a cambio de un deber específico distinto del servicio estándar de caballero) y el socage (pago de una tarifa). Bajo el rey Enrique II, el Dialogus de Scaccario ya distinguía entre barones mayores (que mantenían sus baronías per baroniam mediante el servicio de caballero) y barones menores (que poseían la mansión sin servicio de caballero). Como tenían su título debido a la propiedad de las mansiones, y no por el servicio de los caballeros baroniam , los Señores de la Mansión estaban en el grupo de barones menores. El derecho o "título" para asistir al Consejo del Rey en el parlamento comenzó a otorgarse exclusivamente por decreto en forma de auto de convocatoria a partir de 1265, consolidando el estatus de los Grandes Barones y fundando efectivamente la Cámara de los Lores .
Magna Carta (which had been first issued in 1215) had declared that "No free man shall be seized, imprisoned, dispossessed, outlawed, exiled or ruined in any way, nor in any way proceeded against, except by the lawful judgement of his peers", and thus this body of greater Barons with a right to attend parliament were deemed to be "peers" of one another, and it became the norm to refer to these magnates collectively as the "peerage" during the reign of Edward II. Meanwhile the holders of smaller fiefdoms per baroniam ceased to be summoned to parliament, and instead lesser barons of each county would receive a single summons as a group through the sheriff, and representatives from their number would be elected to attend on behalf of the group (this would later evolve into the House of Commons). This meant the official political importance of ownership of manors declined, eventually resulting in baronial status becoming a "personal" title rather than one linked to ownership of territory. The lesser Baronial titles, including Lordships of the Manor, therefore were not incorporated into the peerage. It is understood that all English Feudal Baronies that were not Lordships of the Manor and had not been upgraded into a peerage, were abolished by the Tenures Abolition Act 1660, passed after the Restoration, which took away knight-service and other legal rights. This left Lordships of the Manor as the sole vestige of the English feudal system. Like their English counterparts, by 1600 manorial titles in the formerly Norman territories in France and Italy did not ennoble their holders in the same way as did, for example, a barony in these territories.
Lordships of the Manor often have certain feudal era rights associated with them. The exact rights that each manor holds will be different: the right to hold a market, a right over certain waterways or mineral deposits are all within scope.[2]
Históricamente, un señor de la mansión podía ser inquilino en jefe si poseía una mansión capital directamente de la Corona , o señor mesne si era vasallo de otro señor. [3] Los orígenes del señorío de las mansiones surgieron en el sistema anglosajón de señorío . Tras la conquista normanda , las tierras a nivel señorial se registraron en el Libro de Domesday de 1086 [4] (el registro de los normandos en Sicilia se llamó, en latín , Catalogus Baronum , compilado unos años más tarde). El título hoy en día no se puede subdividir. [1] Esto ha estado prohibido desde 1290 por el estatuto de Quia Emptores que impide a los inquilinos enajenar sus tierras a otros mediante subinfeudación , exigiendo en cambio que todos los inquilinos que deseen enajenar sus tierras lo hagan mediante sustitución . [5]
Lord Denning , en Corpus Christi College Oxford v Gloucestershire County Council [1983] QB 360, describió la mansión así:
En la época medieval la mansión era el núcleo de la vida rural inglesa. Era una unidad administrativa de una extensa extensión de terreno. Todo ello fue originalmente propiedad del señor de la mansión. Vivía en la casa grande llamada casa solariega. Junto a él había muchos acres de pastizales y bosques llamados parque. Estas eran las "tierras de heredad" que eran para uso personal del señor de la mansión. A su alrededor se encontraban las casas cerradas y los terrenos ocupados por los "inquilinos de la mansión".
En Inglaterra, en la Edad Media , la tierra estaba en manos de un poderoso partidario local en nombre del monarca o gobernante inglés, quien a cambio brindaba protección. Las personas que habían jurado homenaje al señor eran conocidas como vasallos . Los vasallos eran nobles que servían leales al rey, a cambio de que se les diera el uso de la tierra. Después de la conquista normanda de Inglaterra , sin embargo, todas las tierras de Inglaterra eran propiedad del monarca , quien luego concedía su uso mediante una transacción conocida como enfeoffment , a condes, barones y otros, a cambio del servicio militar. La persona que poseía tierras feudales directamente del rey se conocía como inquilino en jefe (ver también Tenencia de la tierra ).
El servicio militar se basaba en unidades de diez caballeros (ver servicio de caballeros ). Se podría esperar que un inquilino en jefe importante proporcionara los diez caballeros, y los inquilinos en jefe menores, la mitad de uno. [ se necesita aclaración ] Algunos inquilinos en jefe " subinfeudados ", es decir, concedieron un terreno a un subarrendatario. Podrían producirse más subinfeudaciones hasta el nivel de un señor de un solo feudo, lo que en sí mismo podría representar sólo una fracción de los honorarios de un caballero. Un señor mesne era el nivel de señor en el medio que tenía varios señoríos, entre los señores de un señorío y el señor superior. El subarrendatario podría tener que prestar servicios de caballero, o financiar sólo una parte del mismo, o pagar algo puramente simbólico. Cualquier subinfeudación adicional fue prohibida por el Estatuto de Quia Emptores en 1290. El servicio de caballero fue abolido por la Ley de Abolición de Tenencias de 1660 .
Las mansiones se definieron como un área de tierra y quedaron estrechamente asociadas con los derechos de la iglesia; a menudo, por defecto, el advowson se adjuntaba a los derechos de la mansión, a veces separado en mitades. [6] [7] Muchos señores del señorío eran conocidos como escuderos , en una época en la que la propiedad de la tierra era la base del poder. [7] Mientras que algunos habitantes eran siervos vinculados a la tierra, otros eran propietarios libres, a menudo conocidos como franklins , que estaban libres de los servicios consuetudinarios. Periódicamente, todos los inquilinos se reunían en un "tribunal señorial", cuyo presidente era el señor de la mansión (o escudero) o un mayordomo. Estos tribunales, conocidos como tribunales barones , se ocupaban de los derechos y deberes de los inquilinos, los cambios de ocupación y las disputas entre inquilinos. Algunos tribunales señoriales también tenían el estatus de tribunales , por lo que elegían agentes y otros funcionarios y eran efectivamente tribunales de magistrados para delitos menores.
La tenencia de los propietarios estaba protegida por las cortes reales. Después de la peste negra , hubo demanda de mano de obra, por lo que a los señores feudales les resultó difícil imponer deberes a los siervos. Sin embargo, su tenencia consuetudinaria continuó y en el siglo XVI las cortes reales también comenzaron a proteger a estos inquilinos consuetudinarios, que llegaron a ser conocidos como poseedores de copias . El nombre surge porque al inquilino se le entregó una copia del acta judicial del hecho como título de propiedad.
During the 19th century, traditional manor courts were phased out. This was largely because by the mid 17th century, large English cities had leading residents such as John Harrison (died 1656) of Leeds, who saw the possession of the manor by only one resident as "giving him too great a superiority over his fellow townsmen, and exposing him to considerable odium". Thus, the Manor of Leeds was divided between several people (shares).[8] This situation could create legal problems. In January 1872, as a group, the "lords of the manor of Leeds" applied to the Law Courts to ascertain if they could "exercise acts of ownership" over land at a time when manorial rights were being sold to larger city corporations. In 1854, the lords of the manor of Leeds had "sold" these acts of ownership to the "corporation of Leeds" which would become the City of Leeds.[9][10] Other town corporations bought their manorial titles in the 19th century, including Manchester, where the corporation paid £200,000 for the title in 1846.[11]
By 1925, copyhold tenure had formally ended with the enactment of Law of Property Acts, Law of Property Act 1922 and Law of Property (Amendment) Act 1924, converting copyhold to fee simple. Although copyhold was abolished, the title of Lord of the Manor remains, and certain rights attached to it will also remain if they are registered under the Land Registration Act 2002. This Act ended manorial incidents unprotected by registration at the Land Registry after October 2013.[12] The Land Registration Act 2002 does not affect the existence of unregistered lordships after October 2013, only the rights that would have previously been attached to the same.
During the latter part of the 20th century, many of these titles were sold to wealthy individuals seeking a distinction. However, certain purchasers, such as Mark Roberts, controversially exploited the right to claim unregistered land.[13][14][15] A manorial title (i.e. Lord of the Manor) is not a title of nobility, as in a peerage title.[16]
The holder of a lordship of the manor can be referred to as Lord or Lady of the manor of [Placename], or Lord or Lady of [Placename], for example Lord or Lady of Little Bromwich, this shortening is permitted as long as "of" is not omitted and the name of the holder is included before as not to imply a peerage.[17][1][18] The style 'Lord of the Manor of X' or 'Lord of X' is, in a sense, more of a description than a title, somewhat similar to the term Laird in Scotland.[19] King's College, Cambridge has given the view that the term 'indicated wealth and privilege, and it carried rights and responsibilities'.[20]
It is debated[by whom?] whether manorial lordships can be classed as a noble title,[citation needed] historically holders of manorial titles were seen as people of rank.[citation needed] They are a semi-extinct form of hereditary landed title that grants the holder the rank of Esquire by prescription and are considered high gentry or lower, non-peerage nobility[21] by contemporary heralds and students of nobiliary. Lordship in this sense is a synonym for ownership, although this ownership involved a historic legal jurisdiction in the form of the court baron.[22] The journal Justice of the Peace & Local Government Law advises that the position is unclear as to whether a lordship of a manor is a title of honour or a dignity, as this is yet to be tested by the courts.[23] Technically, lords of manors are barons, or freemen; however, they do not use the term as a title. Unlike titled barons, they did not have a right to sit in the House of Lords, which was the case for all noble peers until the House of Lords Act 1999. John Selden in his esteemed work Titles of Honour (1672) writes, "The word Baro (Latin for Baron) hath been also so much communicated, that not only all Lords of Manors have been from ancient time, and are at this day called sometimes Barons (as in the stile of their Court Barons, which is Curia Baronis, &c. And I have read hors de son Barony in a barr to an Avowry for hors de son fee) But also the Judges of the Exchequer have it from antient time fixed on them."[24]
Since 1965 lords of the manor have been entitled to compensation in the event of compulsory purchase.[25] Before the Land Registration Act 2002 it was possible for manors to be registered with HM Land Registry. No manorial rights could be created after 1925, following entry into force of the Law of Property Act 1922. Manorial incidents, which are the rights that a lord of the manor may exercise over other people's land, lapsed on 12 October 2013 if not registered by then with the Land Registry. This is a separate issue to the registration of lordships of manors, since both registered and unregistered lordships will continue to exist after that date. It is only their practical rights that lost what is called 'overriding interest', or in other words the ability to affect land even if the interests or rights are not registered against that land, as of 12 October 2013. Manorial incidents can still be recorded for either registered or unregistered manors; however, proof of existence of the rights may need to be submitted to the Land Registry before they will be noted and they may not be registered at all after affected land is sold after 12 October 2013. This issue does not affect the existence of the title of lord of the manor.[1] There have been cases where manors have been sold and the seller has unknowingly parted with rights to unregistered land in England and Wales.[13]
A manorial lordship or ladyship is not connected to the English or British Peerage system, but rather is a remnant of the feudal or Baronial system that pre-dates it. It is debated as to whether the title forms part of the "titled" strata of the British nobility which is these days predominantly linked to titles of peerage, but the title has historically been associated with the English landed gentry and squirearchy within the context of the class structure of the United Kingdom. The status of lord of the manor is today often associated with the rank of esquire by prescription.[22] Many Lordships of the Manor are 'held' via Grand Serjeanty - a duty to carry out certain functions when required - which places them in close proximity to the monarch, often during the Coronation. An example would be the Manor of Scrivelsby, where the owner of the Manor is required to serve as King's Champion. Additionally, many peers also hold Lordships of the manor, and the sovereign via the Duchy of Lancaster is one of the largest holders of manorial titles in the UK. The Dukes of Westminster owe their fortune to the marriage of heiress Mary Davies, Lady of the Manor of Ebury, to Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet, with the Manor of Ebury today forming the Grosvenor Estate. As a feudal title 'Lord of the Manor', unlike titles of peerage, can be inherited by whomever the title holder chooses (including females), and it is the only English title that can be sold (though they rarely are), as Lordships of the manor are considered non-physical property in England and are fully enforceable in the English court system.
Feudal lordships of the manor therefore still exist today (2023) in English property law, being legal titles historically dating back to the Norman invasion of England in 1066. Being incorporated into property law (whether physical or non-physical) they can be bought and sold, as historic artifacts. The title itself as stated below can be separated from the physical property just as any other right can. Rights like the lordship, mineral and sporting can all be separate from the physical property. The title since 1290 cannot be sub-divided (Subinfeudation). Land, sporting rights, and mineral rights can be separated. Property lawyers usually handle such transactions.
There are three elements to a manor (collectively called an honour):
These three elements may exist separately or be combined, the first element being the title may be held in moieties and may not be subdivided, this is prohibited by the statute of Quia Emptores preventing subinfeudation whereas the second and third elements can be subdivided.[1] Although manorial lordship titles today no longer have rights attached to them, historically the lordship title itself had the power to collect fealty (i.e. services) and taxes.[26][27]
The Historical Manuscripts Commission maintains two Manorial Document Registers that cover southern England.[28] One register is arranged under parishes, the other is arranged under manors and shows the last-known whereabouts of the manorial records, the records are often very limited. The National Archives at Kew, London, and county record offices maintain many documents that mention manors or manorial rights, in some cases manorial court rolls have survived, such documents are now protected by law.[29]
Ownership of a manorial lordship can be noted on request in British passports through an official observation worded, 'The Holder is the Lord of the Manor of ................'.[16][30][31]
The issues of land claims were raised in the UK Parliament in 2004 and were debated with a reply on the subject from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs acknowledging 'need for reform of the remnants of feudal and manorial law' as a case was highlighted in Peterstone Wentloog, Wales, where villagers were being charged excessive fees to cross manorial land to access their homes.[15]
En 2007, una advertencia contra el primer registro provocó que dejaran de venderse casas en Alstonefield después de que Mark Roberts , un hombre de negocios de Gales que también estuvo involucrado anteriormente en el caso Peterstone Wentloog, registrara una advertencia contra el primer registro para 25.000 acres (100 km 2 ) después de comprar el señorío. de la mansión de Alstonefield por £10.000 en 1999. Judith Bray, experta en derecho territorial de la Universidad de Buckingham , hablando con la BBC sobre el caso, dijo que "la situación legal es muy confusa porque una ley de la década de 1920 separaba los derechos señoriales de los propiedad de la tierra." [13]
En informes sobre el caso Alstonefield, la BBC afirmó: "Cada año se compran y venden decenas de títulos, algunos como el que Chris Eubank compró por diversión, otros se ven como una oportunidad de negocio. Es totalmente legal y no hay duda de que Los títulos pueden ser valiosos. Además de los derechos sobre tierras como baldíos y bienes comunes, también pueden otorgar a su titular derechos sobre la tierra". El informe continúa diciendo que la Comisión Jurídica de Inglaterra y Gales estaba considerando un proyecto para abolir la ley territorial feudal, pero no revisaría los derechos señoriales. [13]
En muchos casos, un título de señor de la mansión puede no tener tierras ni derechos, y en tales casos el título se conoce como "herencia incorpórea". Antes de la Ley de Registro de la Propiedad de 2002, era posible ofrecerse voluntariamente para registrar títulos de señorío en el Registro de la Propiedad; la mayoría no intentó registrarse. Las transacciones en Pazos previamente registrados están sujetos a registro obligatorio; sin embargo, los señores de las mansiones pueden optar por cancelar el registro de sus títulos y seguirán existiendo sin estar registrados. [1] Los derechos señoriales, como los derechos mineros, dejaron de ser registrables después de la medianoche del 12 de octubre de 2013. [32]
En 2014 y antes, [33] se temía que los titulares de los derechos señoriales permitieran el fracking debajo de las casas y cerca de las comunidades locales de personas que vivían dentro de la propiedad señorial después de que se revelara que el gobierno había recibido 73.000 solicitudes para hacer valer los derechos mineros señoriales. Registro de la Propiedad. Muchas de las solicitudes recibidas procedían del Ducado de Lancaster y del Ducado de Cornualles, afirmando su histórica "propiedad mineral señorial". [34]
A petición de John Harrison, el fundador de la Iglesia de San Juan, quien pensaba que la posesión de la mansión por un solo individuo, residente en el lugar, le daría una superioridad demasiado grande sobre sus conciudadanos y lo expondría a Ante un considerable odio, el señor Sykes le permitió a él y a varios otros caballeros convertirse en cocompradores con él, reservándose sólo una acción para él y otra para su hijo. Desde entonces se ha dividido en nueve acciones.
En la década de 1830, William Lupton dejó tierras a su viuda... en las calles Merrion y Belgrave (Briggate)... los campos cerrados de la mansión de Leeds ya estaban ocupados por una fábrica de lana y su depósito y la casa y las dependencias. de William Lupton, un caballero comerciante