A territorial and administrative unit consisting of a lord’s estate, tenants and associated rights.
A manor was a territorial and administrative unit consisting of the lands belonging to a lord, the tenants who occupied those lands, and the rights and obligations connected with them.
A manor usually included the lord’s own lands, known as the demesne, together with tenant holdings, common rights, agricultural resources and the manorial court.
The manor was not simply a house or village. It was a legal and economic organisation through which land was managed and local affairs were regulated.
The extent and organisation of manors varied considerably. Some were small rural estates, while others contained several villages and large areas of farmland.
See also:
Demesne
Lord of the Manor
Manorial Court
Tenant
Court Roll
