<P> Manors were defined as an area of land and became closely associated to the advowson of the church and often by default the advowson was appended to the rights of the Manor, sometimes separated into moieties . Many lords of the manor were known as squires, at a time when land ownership was the basis of power . While some inhabitants were serfs who were bound to the land, others were freeholders, known as' franklins', who were free from feudal service . Periodically all the tenants met at a' manorial court', with the lord of the manor (or squire), or a steward, as chairman . These courts, known as courts baron, dealt with the tenants' rights and duties, changes of occupancy, and disputes between tenants . Some manorial courts also had the status of a court leet, and so they elected constables and other officials and were effectively magistrates' courts for minor offences . </P> <P> The tenure of the freeholders was protected by the royal courts . After the Black Death, labour was in demand and so it became difficult for the lords of manors to impose duties on serfs . However their customary tenure continued and in the 16th century the royal courts also began to protect these customary tenants, who became known as copyholders . The name arises because the tenant was given a copy of the court's record of the fact as a title deed . During the 19th century manor courts were phased out . In 1925, copyhold tenure formally ended with the enactment of Law of Property Acts, 1922 and 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 registered under the Land Registration Act 2002, which Act ended manorial incidents unprotected by registration at HM Land Registry after October 2013 . 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 . </P> <P> 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 . A manorial title (i.e. Lord of the Manor) is not a title of nobility, as in a peerage title . </P> <P> Feudal lordships of the manor exist today 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 . Land, sporting rights, and mineral rights can be separated . Property lawyers usually handle such transactions . </P>

What does the lord of the manor rule on