Purchasing
A Title Through
Manorial Auctioneers Ltd.

Conditions of Sale



This will be broadly in accordance with the Standard Conditions of Sale (3rd Edition) and copies of these Conditions and Special Conditions of Sale are available from the Auctioneers by post.

Buyer's Premium

The buyer shall pay to Manorial Auctioneers a premium of 15% on the price together with value added tax at the standard rate on the premium. Titles themselves are exempt of VAT.

Deposits

A deposit and part payment of 20% (not subject to VAT) of the agreed price shall be paid to Manorial Auctioneers Client Account. Payment may be by cheque, Access/Mastercard, Visa, American Express, or Diners Club. This forms the Contract for Sale. The credit card handling charge will be passed to purchasers using this facility. Manorial Auctioneers will credit foreign monies at the prevailing rate on the day they are converted into sterling. Any shortfall shall be paid to Manorial Auctioneers on demand, and any excess will be applied to the Completion Amount of the Lot bought.

The Catalogue

 A catalogue is published for sales. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in these particulars, no responsibility can be accepted by the Agents, Auctioneers, or Vendors for any errors that may inadvertently occur. The statements and descriptions contained in these particulars are given as a general outline only for the guidance of intending purchasers and do not constitute any part of an offer or contract and, while they are believed to be correct, any intending purchasers should not rely on them as statements or representations of fact, and their accuracy is not guaranteed. Intending purchasers should satisfy themselves by their own investigations, inspections, searches, and otherwise as to the correctness of each of them. References in these particulars as to the geographical extent of a Lot is given for historical interest. Documents given at the end of historical particulars are given as a matter of record and to enable purchasers to undertake deeper research. They may not be exported from the British Isles without the consent of the relevant Government Department. Any rights referred to in these particulars being part of or any rights which may be associated with Lordships, Baronies, and Seignories are to be taken as historical. The operable historic rights associated with their purchase must be legally established by each new owner. All intending purchasers are advised to consult a solicitor. The Auctioneers can advise on firms who are specialists.

Are There any Obligations?

Not unless you discover exploitable manorial rights such as mineral excavation, when you will need local government planning consent to start a pit or quarry and will become liable to taxation on any profits. Before you complete the purchase, your solicitor will undertake legal searches to establish formally that there are no outstanding liabilities.

Coats of Arms

Manorial Lords have long been recognized by their Coats of Arms, or Armorial Bearings. For further information, contact Cecil R Humphery-Smith OBE FSA, Principal, The Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, Northgate, Canterbury CT1 1BA (01227-768664).

Conditions of Sale

1. The properties in this catalogue are sold subject to the following conditions and to the Standard Conditions of Sale (3RD Edition) which shall be deemed to be incorporated herein so far as consistent with the following conditions or with the Particulars of Sale; and National Conditions 3, 8 to 15 inclusive, 18 (4) and 21 shall not apply.

2. The Vendors sell such right title and interest as the vendors may have in the property.

3. The deposit shall be twenty (20) per cent of the purchase price and shall be paid in Pounds Sterling to Manorial Auctioneers as agents for the Vendors, together with a buyer's premium of 15% (plus VAT). Payment of the deposit forms the contract of sale.

4. The date for completion of the purchase is usually within 28 working days of the receipt of the deposit. Completion shall take place at the Offices of the Vendor's solicitors.

5. The Conveyance to the purchaser shall (subject to the insertion of the name of the purchaser the price and the name of the relevant lordship or manor) be in the form of the draft available from the vendor’s solicitors, and the purchaser having had the opportunity to consider such draft shall be deemed to have inspected and approved such draft and to have satisfied himself as to the sufficiency and effect thereof and the purchaser shall in good time prior to completion execute an engrossment of such conveyance and a duplicate thereof and deliver the same

6. The purchaser having had the opportunity to consider and investigate any books and records of the Lordship or Barony the purchaser shall be deemed to have inspected and considered the same and to have satisfied himself as to all information therein and as to the sufficiency and effect thereof and the purchaser shall not be entitled to raise any objection requisition or enquiry to or upon such matters including (but without limitation) that any such books and records contain no or defective information or have been misdescribed or incorrectly identified

7. The property is sold subject to all and any

(a) matters or things registered or capable of registration in the Local Land Charge Registers

(b) rights of way drainage and other rights easements quasi-easements customs and privileges which may affect the property or any part thereof without any obligation on the part of the vendor to define the same

(c) entries and other matters laid down by the Commons Registration Act 1965 and the Commons Commissioners Regulations 1971

(d) enactments regulations schemes resolutions and orders whether statutory or otherwise which may affect the same and no requisition or objection shall be made or taken in respect of any such matters

8. There are no continuing liabilities known to the Auctioneers in respect of any of the titles offered in this Catalogue under present legislation.

The Internet

 Increasing numbers of organizations offering Manorial Lordships and Feudal Baronies, heraldic devices, newsletters, newspapers, auctions, and all manner of comment and advice in the baronial and feudal fields have been appearing on the Internet. Some invite payment for newsletters, titles, heraldry, family histories, and much else by credit card.

Many are reputable, but not all and we recommend a number of simple tests:

1: Does the Website give a terrestrial address? If it does not, then why is there no shop front or office that can be mailed or visited? Send an e-mail to the Website to ask for an address and if one is not forthcoming, why would that be?

2: Can you telephone to speak to some one, or fax and get a reply, and if you receive a fax reply, is there a fax identification number?

3: If there is an address, is it an accommodation address? If your letters and faxes seem to take a long time to get answers, it may be an accommodation address. If you telephone and the person you wish to speak to is constantly not available, it may be an accommodation business-reply service.

A call or fax to the local authority Business Rates Department will tell you whether the address is used for the specific business mentioned on the Internet.

4: Solicitors (lawyers) are available throughout the British Isles to deal with questions on property law (manorial lordships and feudal baronies) and other aspects of English, Scottish, and Irish law. There are a number of solicitors who do not have full practising certificates but who offer their services as if they were solicitors. There are two reasons to engage a solicitor: (1) to confirm the paperwork being offered (2) and if subsequently there has been an inadvertent mistake, your solicitor has Professional Indemnity Insurance.

If you wish to check out a solicitor, the following adresses will be of help:

The Law Society of England and Wales, Ipsley Court, Berrington Close, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 OTD (tel: 0207 242 1222; fax: 01527 510213)

The Law Society of Scotland, 26 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH 3 7YR (tel: 0131 226 7411; fax: 0131 225 2934)

The Law Society of Ireland (Belfast), Law Society House, 98 Victoria Street, Belfast BT 3JZ (tel: 01232 231614; fax: 01232 232606)

The Law Society of Ireland (Dublin), Blackhall Place, Dublin 7 (tel: 00 3531 671 0711; fax: 00 3531 672 4801)

All practising solicitors are registered with one of these bodies and in order to qualify for a Practising Certificate, a solicitor must, among other things, have current Professional Indemnity Insurance.

The Society knows solicitors experienced in the three legal jurisdictions (England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland) and can advise.

Some companies will recommend solicitors who actually are acting for the Vendor. It is important that a Purcharser's solicitor is not connected with the Vendor's firm, but is completely independent. If in doubt, check with the relevant jurisdictional Law Society (ie England and Wales, Scotland, and the Irish Republic). Some companies will recommend firms which they describe as "solicitors", but are not. The relevant Law Society will also advise you whether a recommended solicitor is covered by Professional Indemnity Insurance. Do not forget that you can check all companies in the United Kingdom by reference to: Companies House, Crown Way, Carfiff CF14 3UZ (tel: UK 01222-380801; international: 44-1222-380801). Companies House will provide you with the date of incorporation, the company registration number, Value Added Tax Registration, registered address, and names of the directors. They will also provide, for a small fee, the most recent audited accounts of the company in question.

Agents who handle Lorships and Baronies, known to us are:

Strutt & Parker, and Historical Records Agency.

5: Heraldry: there are numerous organizations offering personal arms, histories of your family, histories of other people’s families, histories of members of the Royal Family. Some are better than others. We are aware of two excellent heraldic and genealogical agents, and can supply details. There are, however, three important bodies which deal with such matters on a national basis, and whose imprimatur on all formal grants will be necessary:

For England, Wales, and Northern Ireland

The College of Arms, Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4    (0207-248-2762)

Peter Gwyn – Jones,

For Scotland

The Court of the Lord Lyon
HM New Register House
Edinburgh EH1 3YT

Robin Blair Esq, Lord Lyon King of Arms

For Ireland (Republic)

The Genealogical Office,
2 Kildare Street
Dublin 1

Fergus Gillespie Esq, Deputy Chief Herald of Ireland

Other countries have their own State Herald’s Office (eg South Africa), but many (like the United States or France) do not. If in doubt, contact the Society, or write to the Cultural Attaché at the local embassy of the country in question.

6: Bogus military ranks and titles: In the case of the United Kingdom, all peers and baronets, and those holding honours of Commander or Companion and above appear in Who’s Who, which is published annually. If a person claiming to hold a British title is not in Who’s Who, then he or she is using a style to which they are not entitled. The Society maintains complete lists of all British titles of honour and courtesy titles held by sons and daughters.

In the case of military you can always check with the military attaché at your local embassy, whether US or other nationality. In the case of Britain, the address is: The Department of Defence, Whitehall, London SW1