Shares may be plummeting, but the prices for lordships of the manor just keep going up and up.
The most recent sale of such titles at Painters Hall in London (previewed on October 17), produced some lively bidding and not a little local in-fighting.
Ray Knappett of Strutt & Parker was expecting bidding to start around £7,000, but by the end of this auction prices were averaging around £9,000 and one or two were going for much higher prices. In all, 39 lordships were offered for auction and £360,000 was raised.
The little local difficulty centred on the lordship of Old Buckenham, Norfolk.
Joan Jenkins, clerk of the local parish council, had come to London with the sole purpose of securing the title for her fellow parishioners. She was outbid by her neighbour, Terry Cracknell, a local businessman, who paid £30,250 for the title.
Despite Mrs Jenkins’ best efforts, he now owns the freehold of what is believed to be the largest village green in England.
Elsewhere, the lordship of Liston, Essex, went to a buyer from Miami for £20,000. This title commanded such a high price because the incumbent is entitled to carry the communion wafers at the next coronation.
