Bond Wolfe is offering the chance to bid for one of the oldest genuine English feudal titles which dates back to before the Norman Conquest in its next livestreamed auction on Thursday 14 September.

The Lordship of the Manor of West Bromwich will go under the hammer with a guide price of £20,000+*.

Famous citizens of West Bromwich who might be tempted into bidding include Frank Skinner, Robert Plant, Cat Deeley and Denise Lewis, plus most of Judas Priest!

Gurpreet Bassi, chief executive of Bond Wolfe, said: “This title predates the Norman invasion in 1066 and brings with it the right for the purchaser to style him or herself, The Lord or Lady of West Bromwich.

“It’s very rare for a title of this antiquity to come on the market, and we are expecting interest, not only in the UK but from around the world, from those proud of their West Bromwich roots.”

The motto on the Coat of Arms of the Lord of the Manor of West Bromwich is “Gaudet Tentamine Virtus” or “Strength rejoices in the challenge”.

As well as having the title of Lord or Lady, which may be recorded on the holder’s passport, the ownership of a Manorial Lordship may, in certain cases, bring with it enforceable rights including the right to claim what is known as the Waste of the Manor (land not claimed by others) and rights to mines and minerals and sporting or fishing rights.

England is almost unique in the world in still having legally valid Lordship titles which can be bought and sold.

The feudal system which such titles represent dates back over 1,000 years to the Saxon period and continued throughout the Middle Ages and up to the present day and, even though the law was modernised in 1922, such titles and many of the privileges they bring were preserved.

The Manor of West Bromwich came into existence in Saxon times and at the time of the Doomsday Book in 1086 was held by William Fitz Ansculf, the Lord of Dudley.

The Lords of Dudley continued to hold the Manor of West Bromwich until 1322 and by the 15th century it was held by the Vernon family and then by the Shelton and Jervoise families until it was bought by the 4th Earl of Dartmouth in 1823.

The Manor then remained in the hands of the Earls of Dartmouth until 1998 when it was sold by the present Earl to the current owner. The title is held freehold and without encumbrances. 

West Bromwich, not to be confused with Castle Bromwich, first appears as a tiny settlement in the 8^th century when the area was known as “Bromwic” meaning a settlement in the broom. The open heathland in the area must have been covered in broom.West Bromwich was first mentioned as Bromwic (‘broom village’) in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is believed that it may have originally been part of the Handsworth parish. A Benedictine priory existed in West Bromwich from the 12th century around which the settlement of Broomwich Heath grew.

In 1727, the town became a stop on the coaching road between London and Shrewsbury and the beginning of its growth dates from this time.

Gurpreet Bassi added: “As they say in the Black Country, you’d have to be ‘saft as a biled taernip’ to miss the chance to proclaim your West Bromwich roots to the world and leave a legacy for your children!”

The Lordship of the Manor of West Bromwich is just one of scores of lots that are appearing in Bond Wolfe’s next auction, which will start at 9am on Thursday 14 September.

If you have a property you are considering selling, visit https://www.bondwolfe.com/free-property-appraisal/ email auctions@bondwolfe.com or call 0121 312 1212 or 01902 928 510 for advice or to arrange a free no obligation valuation.

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* Each property is subject to a reserve price which may be different from the guide price.  Please refer to the Important Information and legal pack(s) for further information and any additional fees which may apply.

For further information, please contact: 

Suzanne Randell, Operations Director,

Bond Wolfe, 1st Floor, 75/77 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2AP

0121 312 1212, SRandell@Bondwolfe.com

www.bondwolfe.com

Twitter – @BondWolfe

Editors’ notes:

Bond Wolfe, which celebrates 40 years in 2023, has a record breaking and award-winning team with over 500 years of combined property experience. Bond Wolfe is a multi-disciplined property business specialising in property auctions and property Agency. They sell all types of residential, commercial and mixed-use property, investments and land/development sites for private individuals and corporate clients. They will hold seven auctions in 2023, the remaining ones on 14 September, 26 October and 14 December, as well as offering online auctions, selling properties nationally across the UK.