Legal Definitions - copyholder

A copyholder was a historical type of land tenant in England who held land according to the established customs of a specific manor. Unlike tenants who held land through formal deeds, a copyholder's right to occupy and use the land was recorded in the official records of the manorial court, known as the "court rolls." The tenant's proof of their entitlement to the land was a physical copy of this entry from the court rolls. This system, called copyhold tenure, meant that while the lord of the manor retained legal ownership of the land, the copyholder possessed a customary right to live on and cultivate it, often passed down through generations, provided they fulfilled certain obligations to the lord, such as paying rent or performing services.

• Example 1: Inheritance of Family Land

  After his father passed away, Thomas wished to inherit the family farm, which had been held by his ancestors for generations under copyhold tenure. To formalize the transfer, Thomas appeared before the manorial court. The court officially recorded the change of tenancy from his deceased father to him in the court rolls. Thomas then received a document, which was a certified copy of that entry, confirming his customary right to the land. This act made Thomas the new copyholder of the farm.

• Example 2: Fulfilling Customary Obligations

  Eleanor held a small plot of land within the manor, and her copy of the court rolls stipulated specific duties. Beyond a modest annual rent, she was required to provide three days of labor on the lord's fields during the planting season. Her continued right to occupy and farm her land as a copyholder was contingent upon her consistently fulfilling these customary services, as detailed in her copy of the court's records.

• Example 3: Resolving a Boundary Dispute

  When a new lord took control of the manor, he questioned the exact boundaries of William's fields, suggesting that a portion belonged to the lord's own demesne land. To defend his claim, William presented his copy of the court roll. This document clearly detailed the historical boundaries of his family's holding and their long-standing right to that specific parcel. The manorial court, recognizing the authority of the court roll entry, upheld William's claim, confirming his legitimate status as a copyholder with defined land rights.