The Lord of the Manor is a title of dignity originating in the feudal system established following the Norman Conquest of 1066. Unlike peerage titles such as Baron or Earl, a lordship of the manor is not a title of nobility but rather a 'corporeal or incorporeal hereditament' that denotes the historical right to hold a manorial court (the Court Baron) and exercise jurisdiction over a specific landholding. Historically, the Lord held the demesne lands and received services or rents from freeholders and copyholders within the manor's boundaries. While most feudal incidents were abolished by the Tenures Abolition Act 1660 and copyhold tenure was extinguished by the Law of Property Act 1922, the title persists as a legal entity.
In contemporary English law, the lordship is distinct from the physical ownership of land; it is possible to own the title without owning a single acre of the original estate. Despite its lack of legislative power, the title remains significant in heraldic and social contexts. The College of Arms recognizes such titles in grants of arms, often allowing for the inclusion of specific manorial insignia. While the Lord of the Manor is the 'lowest' rung of the feudal hierarchy, the title remains a prestigious link to England's medieval administrative and social structure, frequently traded as a transferable asset in modern times.