Channel Island Fiefs - FAQ

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Caveat: While the authors of feudaltitles.com are well-meaning, and have significant experience within this space, they are not solicitors/attorneys and the below should not be taken as legal advice. Any serious questions should be addressed to your own legal counsel. 

Q: What is a fief in the Channel Islands? 

A: The Channel Islands have been inhabited for thousands of years but, in 911 AD, the Viking leader Rollo was granted lands around Rouen that later evolved into The Duchy of Normandy. As resources were far more limited in the 10th century, derived from the sweat of a man's brow, land represented the easiest and most abundant way to reward loyal followers. Much like in France, The Channel Islands were infeudated into a pyramidal structure with the King/Duke on top, seigneurs in the middle and residents/serfs at the bottom. Seigneurs exercised significant political, social and economic rights over those who inhabited their fiefs. While those have all but disappeared in the 21st century, some remain viable - as do the titles themselves. 

Q: What is a seigneur? 

A: Simply put, "seigneur" translates to "lord." However, the term is specifically used in relation to feudal lords of manors - usually French/Norman but occasionally English ones also. A "dame" is the equivalent title granted to female owners of fiefs or the female spouse of a male seigneur. Male spouses do not receive this courtesy title when their wife owns outright. 

Q: How does one become a seigneur or dame on The Channel Islands?

A: As they are an ancient form of land, anyone may purchase a Channel Island fief regardless of nationality or citizenship. However, one must find a current fief holder willing to sell and this happens infrequently due to their limited number (see below) and tendancy to descend via lineal family. Conveyance must include legal representation, occur before The Royal Court and be recorded with The Greffier. In Guernsey, one of the world's last feudal taxes (congè or treizieme) must be paid directly to The Crown. Recent purchase prices have ranged from £10k-50k, influenced by size, history and existing rights. 

Q: How many fiefs exist in the Channel Islands? 

A: While difficult to answer with absolute certainty, it is widely believed that there are 116 fiefs in Jersey, 73 in Guernsey and one on Sark. Of these, at least 37 have passed to The Crown via escheat or acquisition. Further, it is not infrequent for a seigneur to own more than one fief. For example, in Guernsey, 46 fiefs are held privately among 24 seigneurs. 

Q: Do Channel Island seigneurs and dames have any exercisable rights today?

A: Yes. Unlike their English and Scottish counterparts, Channel Island seigneurs have significant rights and roles in the 21st century. Manorial rights, such as ownership of coastal foreshore, have been defended successfully in court within the past decades (see: Les Pas Settlement) and a handful on both Guernsey & Jersey are required to attend Royal Court annually to physically pay homage. Alternatively, The Seigneur of Sark has far more rights as his feudal grip on the island was near-complete until the early 2000s. The breaking of bread bears significance also here with promised meals being a standard obligation/right. This tradition remains vibrant - such as in the traditional dinner, hosted by HM's Procurer and attended by The Bailiff & Lt. Gov, which seigneurs attend after Chief Pleas in Guernsey on Michaelmas (October). 

Q: How big is the typical fief - geographically speaking? 

A: While there is some variation, in general, Channel Island fiefs are significantly smaller than their English or Scottish cousins. This is simply a function of the relative size of the islands versus that of Great Britain. Space was limited. Therefore, fiefs were much smaller - frequently measuring as small as just a few acres of arable land. For instance, the largest fief on Guernsey is Fief le Roi at 3,301.5 vergées (825 acres) whereas the smallest are Fief d'Amelaine and Fief des Queues - each with only 3 vergées (0.75 acres). Further, fiefs were not always contiguous and frequently had parcels spread out across multiple parishes. 

Q: How did Channel Island seigneurs manage their fiefs? 

A: Owners of fiefs were (and still are) allowed to conduct fief courts (similar to Courts Baron in England) which dispensed justice, claimed taxes and issued decisions with legal authority devolved from The Crown. While some seigneurs had authority to enforce extreme penalties ("pit & gallows"), their fief courts usually focused on land transfers among their tenants. They could not do it alone, however. Seigneurs were (and are) able to nominate tenants to position within the fief court. These include:

• The Sénéschal: The steward of the court who sat in judgement on behalf of the seigneur. Issues of taxation (congé) were their primary focus. If a seigneur owning suit of court (homage) cannot attend personally, they must nominate a sénéschal to perform the act on their behalf. 
• Prevot: In charge of the daily operations of a fief, the prevot collected what was due in rents (chefrente, poulage, etc) and ensure agricultural service owed by tenants was performed. Sometimes referred to as "sheriff." 
• Grenètier: This role ensured that agricultural taxes (usually paid in corn) were delivered appropriately by all tenants. This included a tax known as "champart" - a debt of one in every twelve sheaves of corn grown on a tenant's land. 
• Greffier: A record keeper, administrator and scribe - greffiers were tasked with managing the necessary documentation for all legal transactions within a fief and subject to its court.
• Vavasseur: Assisted the greffier in their duties and may have taken on some of the roles of herald and often functioned as jury when called upon to decide matters in fief court.
• Bordiers: These men (and women) enforced legal judgements within any fief and collected feudal dues if called upon in exchange for the right to hold a small portion of land subordinate to the seigneur. They were also often required to attend the Sheriff, as "javelin men," when conducting prisoners to The Royal Court. Not every fief had bordiers. 

Q: You mentioned "congè above. What is that, exactly? 

A: Congè was (and is) a form of feudal dues or tax which was applied when land was transferred within a fief - or when a fief itself was conveyed. Interestingly, this tax survived on Guernsey until 1985. Until that time, any fief resident owned their relevant seigneur a payment, called treizieme, which amounted to 1/13 of the purchase price. By 1980, this had tranformed into a 2% levy on the sale of any house and had come to be known as "congè."  This is not an inconsiderable sum and seigneurs generated a meaningful amount of income from it. While this tax was not actually abolished, the payment was rerouted to The States (island gov't) instead of the seigneur/dame and it continues on as such to this day. Additionally, congè survived much longer on Sark where it was only given up by The Seigneur in 2006. 

Note: When a Guernsey fief is conveyed, the congè of 2% is still owed to The Crown. This represents de facto recognition from The Sovereign.