ALERT - Most "titles" sold online are NOT legitimate. Read below for free guidance!
Manorial Reference Library
From The UK Government
A location for all pertinent files published online by The UK Government regarding manors. Have we missed any? Let us know!
Online References & Websites
Click Here - The 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol 3, definition of "baron" - GREAT resource & reference
Click Here - The Earl of Bradford's famous site provides detailed advice to potential buyers - faketitles.com
Click Here - Proceedings of a Seminar: Land Registration Act of 2002 (Manorial Society 2002)
Click Here - Proceedings of a Conference: Implications of LRA 2002 for Lords of the Manor (MSGB 2005)
Click Here - The Baronage Press website is a great resource (albeit an old one) for students of feudal titles
Click Here - The Manorial Documents Register's (.gov.uk) searchable database for documents on-file
Click Here - Testimony by "the great" Christopher Jessel related to LRA 2002 and manorial rights
Click Here - Testimony by Dr. Paul Stafford to Justice Select Committee inquiry into Manorial Rights
Click Here - Manorial Rights - House of Commons Justice Committee, Fifth Report of Session 2014-15
Click Here - The Sale of Manors Bill (1977) is discussed at Parliament - an early indication of legal trouble
Click Here - Excellent website with advice regarding the purchase of manorial lordships - bravo!
Click Here - Feudal titles across the centuries and where they are today - short record of titles sold w/price
Click Here - Difference between Gaelic lordship (Scotland/Ireland) & feudal lordship (England) is explored
Click Here - A cautionary document regarding statutory declarations as proof of a seller's ownership
Click Here - The Duchy of Cornwall (which is manorial to this day!) is studied here by Dr. John Kirkhope
Click Here - Chancel repair (a legal obligation for some manorial lords) is explored in this helpful article
Click Here - Ancient manorial rights to mines & minerals - Church of England & Crown being large holders
Click Here - Mr. Gilpin and Manorial Customs. Bagot, Annette. Published by Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, Kendal, 1962
Click Here - The evolution of European property law is explored in this German PhD thesis project
Click Here - The Lordship of Bowland enjoys a Cambridge journal review in "The Escutcheon"
Click Here - Manorial Rights are discussed in these notes related to UK Parliamentary review
Click Here - Manorial rights to "wreck" - shipwrecks along their foreshore - is explored here
Click Here - Dr. Sutton takes a heavy hand to the titles "industry" - he is incorrect that ALL are fake
Click Here - A brief but helpful explanations of feudal titles is presented here on weebly
Click Here - Paul Stafford, barrister, provides helpful guidance on challenging or defending manorial rights
Click Here - Paul Stafford, barrister, proves ever helpful - guiding us on reconstruction of title for manors
Click Here - The Manorial Society publishes an annual register of its members and their feudal titles
Click Here - This superior and well cited site identifies the pitfalls and perils of engaging with title schemes
Click Here - JSTOR provides this scholarly paper focused on "Edward I and his Tenants-in-Chief"
Click Here - The Lords of Worksop is visualized performing duties to QE1 in this illustration from 1902
Click Here - The Kent Archives gives us a fairly complete description (with links) of a Court Baron
Click Here - Kevin Boone, who has both been there & done that, provides a description of feudal titles
Click Here - Lancaster University provides this "Directory of Baronies and Superior Manors"
Court Decisions
Click Here - Full legal decision related to Williams-Wynn family's loss to Welsh Gov't related to manorial mineral rights
Scholarly Books - Courtesy of Google (and others)
Utilize built-in keyword search capabilities to identify areas of specific interest within each book. Enjoy!
Click Here - Adkin, Benaiah W, Copyhold and other Land Tenures of England, Sweet & Maxwell, 1919
Click Here - Banks, TC, The dormant and extinct baronage of England, 1807
Click Here - Banks, TC, History of the Ancient Noble Family of Marmyun (King's Champion) Cornhill, 1817
Click Here - Bear, William, The Relations of Landlord and Tenant in England and Scotland, London, 1876
Click Here - Bennett, HS, Life on the English manor: A study of peasant conditions 1150-1400, 1948
Click Here - Blacklock, Henry & Co, The Court Leet Records of the Manor of Manchester, Manchester, 1888
Click Here - Blackstone, Sir William, Commentaries on the Laws of England
Click Here - Blount, Thomas, Framenta Antiquitatis or Ancient Tenures of Land and jocular customs of manors, 1815
Click Here - Brown, W. Jethro, Customary Law in Modern England, Columbia Law Review, Dec 1905
Click Here - Brydson, Thomas, A Summary View of Heraldry in Reference to the Usages of Chivalry and the general economy of the Feudal System, 1795
Click Here - Chew, Helena, The English Ecclesiastical Tenants-in-Chief and Knights Service...13th & 14th century, 1932
Click Here - Cheyney, Edward , 'The Manor of East Greenwich in the County of Kent' (1905) American Historical Review
Click Here - Citty, Joseph, A Treatise on...Prerogatives of...Crown and...Relative Rights and Duties of the Subject (1820)
Click Here - Coke, Sir Edward, A commentary on Littleton being the first part of the Institutes of the Laws of England
Click Here - Coke, Sir Edward, Complete Copyholder: Discourse on the Antiquity and Nature of Manors and Copyholds
Click Here - Cross, Peter, Lordship, Knighthood and Locality:English Society 1180-1280, Cambridge, 1991
Click Here - Dalryimple, John, General history of feudal property in Great Britain, 1778
Click Here - Davis, William Stearns, Life on a mediaeval barony...feudal community in the 13th century, 1923
Click Here - Dodd, Charles, A manual of dignities, privilege and precedence, 1844 - Pg 248 --> lord = esquire
Click Here - Dodoredge, Sir John, Honors Pedigree; or the Several Fountaines of Gentry, 1652
Click Here - Fenwick, John, Treasure Trove in Northumberland (1851)
Click Here - Fellowes, Henry, The Laws Respecting Copyholds and Court-Keeping, London. 1799
Click Here - Foster, Joseph, Some Feudal Coats of Arms From Heraldic Rolls 1298-1418, London, 1902
Click Here - Gilbert, Geoffrey Sir, A Treaties of Tenures: In Two Parts, London, 1738
Click Here - Hemeon, M de W, Burgage Tenure in Mediaeval England (Harvard University Press, 1914)
Click Here - Holdsworth, Sir William, A History of English Law (Sweet & Maxwell 1952)
Click Here - Hone, Nathaniel J, The manor and manorial records, 1906
Click Here - House of Commons, Testa de Nevill or Liber Feodorum (commonly called "Book of Fees"), 1807
Click Here - Lawrence, Sir James, The Nobility of The British Gentry, 1827
Click Here - Levett, Ada Elizabeth, Studies in Manorial History, 1938
Click Here - Littleton (Lyttleton), Thomas, Littleton's Tenures - with notes & updates, 1845
Click Here - Lodge, Rev. Samuel, Scrivelsby: The Home of the Champions, London, 1894
Click Here - Lower, Mark Antony, The Curiosities of Heraldry, 1845 (see page 197)
Click Here - Lynch, William, Law and Usage of the Prescriptive Baronies of Ireland, London, 1835
Click Here - Madox, Thomas, Baronia Anglica: A history of Land-Honors, Baronies and Tenure in-Capite, 1741
Click Here - Manorial Society (original), Descriptive Catalogue of Manorial Rolls of HF Burke, 1922 facsimile
Click Here - Manorial Society (original), Modus Tenendi Cur Baron Cum Visu Franci Plegii, 1915 facsimile
Click Here - Manorial Society (original), The Order of Keeping A Court Leet & Court Baron, 1914 facsimile
Click Here - Maitland, FW, Domesday Book and Beyond, 1897
Click Here - Manchester, The Court Leet Records of the Manor of Manchester 1552-1686 & 1731-1846
Click Here - Megarry, Sir Robert, The Law of Real Property, Sweet & Maxwell, London, 2012 (preview only)
Click Here - Nichols, Francis, On feudal and obligatory knighthood, Archaeologia, 1863 (manor = knighthood)
Click Here - Nichols, Francis, The British Compendium; or Rudiments of Honour, London, 1731
Click Here - Painter, Sidney, Studies in the History of the English Feudal Barony, Johns Hopkins Univ, 1943
Click Here - Pollock, Frederick and Maitland, Frederic W, The History of English Law before Edward I (1898)
Click Here - Rees, William, South Wales and the March 1284-1415, A Social and Agrarian Study, 1924
Click Here - Robinson, William, Collections relevant to claims at coronations...beginning with Richard II, 1820
Click Here - Round, JH, Feudal England (1895) - a foundational work worth reading!!!
Click Here - Scriven, John, A Treatise on Copyholds: Customary Freehold, Ancient Demesne & Courts Baron & Leet, 1833
Click Here - Seebohm, Frederic, The English Village Community, London, 1905
Click Here - Selden, John, Titles of Honor, second edition, 1631
Click Here - Sheppard, William, The Court-Keepers Guide, London, 1649
Click Here - Shirley, Evelyn, The Noble and Gentle Men of England, Westminster, 1860
Click Here - Solly, Edward, An index of hereditary English, Scottish & Irish Titles of Honour, London, 1880
Click Here - Stubbs, William, Select Charters from the beginning to 1307 (Oxford Press 1942)
Click Here - Vinogradoff, P, The growth of the manor, 1905
Click Here - Watkins, Charles, A Treatise on Copyholds (1916)
Click Here - Wollaston, G. Woods, Coronation Claims w/full report on cases argued before Court of Claims, 1910
Click Here - Wright, Thomas, Feudal Manuals of English History, Lonon, 1872
PDF Document Repository
Visit this section to see larger, scholarly files we have gathered over the years that cover lordships of the manor in greater detail than can be reproduced here or which are not otherwise found online for linking.
Books We Recommend You Purchase
Too recent to be included for free online - but still well worth the purchase!
Jessel, Christopher, The Law of the Manor- everything you ever needed to know in one book
John, Eric, Land Tenure in Early England
Barsby, A.W. & C, Manorial Law, 1996 - similar in premise but shorter in length than Jessel's work above
Stenton, F.M., The First Century of English Feudalism 1066-1166, The Ford Lectures, Oxford University
Auction Catalogues & Bulletins - Source for Research
We keep a close eye on all online auction houses and booksellers to find old, dusty copies of auction catalogues including feudal titles or Society bulletins. These often contain helpful information - both general and specific - while providing a look back at how they were marketed previously. Enjoy!
Click Here - 1954 (Nov) The Beaumont Collection - 56 total lots - Stanford & Son and Strutt & Parker
Click Here - 1955 (Dec) "The Second Sale" - 29 total lots - Stanford & Son and Strutt & Parker
Click Here - 1964 (Sept) "Third Auction" - 11 total lots - Stanford & Son
Click Here - 1965 (Dec) "Fourth Auction" - 18 total lots - Stanford & Son
Click Here - 1966 (July) 12 total lots - Hobbs & Chambers, Chartered Surveyors
Click Here - 1980(?) "Annual Bulletin" - Manorial Society of Great Britain (research & pictures)
Click Here - 1981 (?) "Royal Wedding Edition" - Manorial Society of Great Britain (Charles/Di engagement)
Click Here - 1985 (Sept) "Annual Bulletin" - Manorial Society of Great Britain (research & pictures)
Click Here - 1986 (June) - 39 total lots - Bernard Thorpe & Partners
Click Here - 1986 (Sept) "Annual Bulletin" - Manorial Society of Great Britain (research & QE2 pictures)
Click Here - 1987 (Mar) - 36 total lots - Bernard Thorpe & Partners
Click Here - 1989 (Dec) - 35 total lots - Manorial Auctioneers
Click Here - 1990 (July) - Stratford-upon-Avon - Sotheby's of London
Click Here - 1990 (Oct) - 41 total lots - Manorial Auctioneers
Click Here - 1991 (June) - 32 total lots - Manorial Auctioneers
Click Here - 1996 (May) - "Annual Bulletin" - Manorial Society of Great Britain (research & pictures)
Click Here - 2000 (July) - University of Wales executes an auction of 13 lordships, including Worlton
Click Here - 2004 (August) - 33 lots - Manorial Auctioneers - Image of Irish feudo-baronial grant of arms!!
Click Here - 2019 (Summer) Sale by Private Treaty - 31 total lots - Manorial Auctioneers
Click Here - 2020 (Spring) Sale by Private Treaty - 9 total lots including Windermere - Manorial Services
Click Here - 2021 (June) Sale by Private Treaty - 14 total lots inc'l Weston-super-Mare - Manorial Services
Click Here - 2021 (Winter) Sale by Private Treaty - 9 lots inc'l Rushmere & Ufford Hall - Manorial Services
Click Here - 2022 (Feb) Sale by Private Treaty - 9 total lots including Fief D'Anneville - Manorial Services
Click Here - 2022 (July) Sale by Private Treaty - Grand Serjeanty of Worksop - Manorial Services (UNSOLD)
Click Here - 2022 (Winter) Sale by Private Treaty - 10 total lots including Sagebury - Manorial Services
Click Here - 2023 (March) Sale by Private Treaty - 10 total lots - Manorial Services
Click Here - 2023 (Nov) Sale by Private Treaty - 14 lots including Forest of Bowland - Manorial Services
Click Here - 2024 (Spring) Sale by Private Treaty - 13 total lots including Benham Lovell - Manorial Services
Sites Maintained by Lords of Manors - New!
Often times more than a little self-serving, they sometimes harbor valuable scholarly citations - or can be a source of genuine amusement for the pragmatists among us.
Click Here - The Lord of North Cadbury, Somerset, provides this attractive site - baronial claim made here
Click Here - The Lord of Cuckfield attempts to sell knighthoods through this paper-thin website - rubbish
Click Here - The Lord of Eastbourne Medsey (a bishop?!) provides amusement but not many resources
Click Here - The Lord of Hunningham provides a brief website with a specific focus on local custom
Click Here - The Lord of Ivinghoe provides this helpful website related to his title and manorialism
Click Here - The Lord of Mendham Kingshall provides this very short website - same owner as Ratfyn?
Click Here - The Lord of Moels provides good links but also an offer to help others "claim" titles - red alert!
Click Here - The Lord of Purse Caundle shares his manorial journey via blog from 2008-2010 - good pics
Click Here - The Lord of Prior's Hall provides a brief website about his manor, it's history & surroundings
Click Here - The Lord of Ratfyn provides this single-page website - almost nothing of note here
Click Here - The Lord of Rushton maintains a helpful site with focus on manorial court law
Click Here - The Lord of Shevington is a self-proclaimed Scottish chief of Clan Poole (no Lyon approval)
Click Here - The Lord of Snelshall Priory provides this brief website for curious visitors
Click Here - The Lord of Stoborough provides helpful history - and claims right to name the mayor also!
Click Here - The Lord of Thremhall Priory hosts a larger than average, and well appointed, website w/links
Sites Maintained by Courts Leet or Baron - New!
Click Here - The Alcester Court Leet maintains a very active calendar and rich history - role models!
Click Here - The Altrincham Court Leet maintains this Facebook page and a proud tradition
- Click Here - The charter of the Ancient Court Leet of Altrincham may be reviewed here
Click Here - The Bromsgrove Court Leet maintains this well-appointed website - and a proud tradition!
- Click Here - A video discussion of courts leet & manorial tradition by Court Reeve Neil Beaumont
Click Here - The Henley-in-Arden Court Leet & Guild Hall are focused on in this Facebook page
Click Here - The closest one comes to a website for The Island & Royal Manor of Portland Court Leet
Click Here - The Guidable (King's) Manor of Southwark (HM's Manor) and it's Court Leet are hosted here
Click Here - The Court Leet of Spaunton's history is focused on here in a local heritage site
Click Here - The Warwick Court Leet hosts us on this lovely website focused on their good works