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Simple English definitions for legal terms
copyholder
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A quick definition of copyholder:
A copyholder is someone who used to own land by a special type of agreement called copyhold tenure. This meant that they had to attend a court held by the landowner and the details of their agreement were written down in a book called the court rolls. If they sold their land, the new owner would get a copy of the court rolls to show their ownership. So, a copyholder was someone who owned land by this special agreement and had their details written down in the court rolls.
A more thorough explanation:
A copyholder is a tenant who holds land by copyhold tenure. This means that they have a right to use the land, but they do not own it outright. The term "copyholder" comes from the fact that the tenant would receive a copy of the court rolls that recorded all transactions affecting the land.
For example, if a copyholder sold their interest in the land to a third party, the details of the sale would be recorded in the court rolls. The buyer would then receive a copy of the relevant part of the court rolls, which would confirm their right to use the land.
Copyhold tenure was common in England until the 1920s, when it was largely abolished. However, some copyhold tenures still exist today, particularly in relation to certain historic properties.