The person who held the rights and privileges associated with a manor.
The lord of the manor was the person who held the rights and privileges associated with a particular manor.
The lord might own the land directly or hold the manor from a superior lord or the Crown. Their rights could include receiving rents, holding manorial courts, collecting customary payments and benefiting from resources such as mills, woodland and pasture.
Although the lord held authority over the manor, tenants also possessed important customary rights. The relationship between lord and tenant was governed by local custom and recorded through manorial documents.
The lord was often represented in the day-to-day administration of the estate by officials such as stewards and bailiffs.
See also:
Manor
Demesne
Steward
Bailiff
Tenant
