COPYHOLD Meaning and
Definition
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Copyhold is a term used in British land law to describe a form of land tenure that existed prior to the 1925 Law of Property Act. It was a system of landholding that was prevalent during the feudal period and continued until the early 20th century.
Under copyhold tenure, a person held land as a tenant of a manor, with their right to occupy and use the land recorded in the manorial court rolls. The tenant was often required to render certain services to the lord of the manor, such as paying rent or performing manual labor. The term "copyhold" derives from the practice of creating copies of the court rolls to serve as evidence of the tenant's rights.
Unlike freehold land, which could be bought and sold freely, copyhold land could only be transferred through a process known as "surrender and admittance." When a copyhold tenant wished to give up their interest in the land, they would "surrender" it back to the lord of the manor who would then "admit" a new tenant in their place.
The 1925 Law of Property Act abolished copyhold tenure, converting all existing copyhold land into freehold. This was part of a broader legal reform aimed at simplifying land ownership in England and Wales. However, copyhold still holds historical significance and is of interest to legal historians and genealogists studying land records and tenancies from earlier eras.
Common Misspellings for COPYHOLD
- xopyhold
- vopyhold
- fopyhold
- dopyhold
- cipyhold
- ckpyhold
- clpyhold
- cppyhold
- c0pyhold
- c9pyhold
- cooyhold
- colyhold
- co-yhold
- co0yhold
- copthold
- copghold
- cophhold
- copuhold
- cop7hold
Etymology of COPYHOLD
The word "copyhold" comes from the Middle English term "copyholde", which can be further traced back to the Old English term "cūðhald". "Cūðhald" is a compound word, wherein "cūð" means "known" or "customary", and "hald" means "holding" or "tenure". The term refers to a form of land tenure in feudal England, where a tenant held land under the custom of the manor. In this system, the tenant would have a copy of the records or "copy" of the custom outlining their rights and obligations. Over time, the term "copyhold" became established to describe this particular form of tenure.
Similar spelling word for COPYHOLD
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