Want to become a Lord? Village near Banbury has its lordship title on sale for £9,000

The title of Lordship of the Manor of Pillerton Priors is being sold by Manorial Services.

Pillerton Priors manor was first owned by Hugh de Grandmesnil, a companion of William the Conqueror, who was given the title in 1068 by the king for his role in the Siege of Leicester.

Following his death, the manor was passed between different Catholic priors before finding its way to several noblemen and their families.

Before its current owner, the manor belonged to the Mills family of Barford who were known for their careers in banking and at the East India Company.

Now the title is on sale with buyers having the option to choose between either lord or lady of the manor or both for couples.

The title can be added to passports or any other documentation and can also be passed on in a will to a specific person.

A lordship title is known legally as an ‘incorporeal hereditament’, which means it is a property without having any physical being.

In history manors were tied to a particular physical location, however, a law introduced in the 1920s severed the link between the title and land.

When asked about the benefits of buying the title Stephen Johnson MA, head of research at Manorial Services, said: “There are three reasons typically people buy lordship titles.

"Some people buy them for a bit of fun, or as a present for someone who has everything. Others buy them because they have a connection with the area or are local to it.

"Then we have quite a lot of people from abroad who are real anglophiles, and see this as a way of connecting with English history.”

Manorial Services has titles for sale across England ranging from £8,000 right up to £15,000.

Stephen added: “Unfortunately, you won’t get away with charging for horses on the green anymore but many people like having the title on their passports.

“We have also had people get really involved in the area and give out prizes on sports day or play a role in the village fete, which is something we like to encourage.”

For more infomation, visit https://www.manorialservices.com/