Scottish feudal lordship facts for kids

A feudal lordship was an old and important title of nobility in Scotland. It meant that the person holding the title, called a feudal lord, was also a feudal baron. Think of it like being a special kind of baron. Sometimes, a feudal lord was also a "Lord of Regality." This meant the king or queen had given them special power, including the right to decide if someone should face the death sentence. This power was known as "pit and gallows."

In the old Scottish system, a feudal lord was ranked higher than a regular Scottish feudal baron. However, they were not as high as a Lord of Parliament, which was a title in the Peerage of Scotland (a group of high-ranking nobles). They were also lower than a feudal earldom, which was an even more important feudal barony. There were many feudal baronies, but far fewer feudal lordships, and feudal earldoms were very rare.

What is a Feudal Lordship?

Long ago, feudal barons, lords, and other high-ranking nobles (who were part of the Peerage) all had a place in the Scottish parliament. Over time, some feudal lordships became known as peerages, while others were sold or passed down to greater nobles. The special rights that came with feudal titles slowly disappeared. When the Scottish parliament ended in 1707, feudal barons lost their right to sit in parliament, unless they were also a Peer (a higher noble).

Feudal lordships were mostly ended by a law in 1747, after a big rebellion called the Jacobite rising of 1745. Today, a feudal barony or lordship doesn't give any political power. However, a law passed in 2000, called the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, kept the titles themselves. This means the special quality, rank, and heraldry (symbols and coats of arms) connected to these titles are still recognized.

Between 1500 and 2000 feudal baronies might have been created, mostly in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. In 1405, only about 400 baronies were known to exist. Many of these titles fell out of use, and the official papers for only a few hundred still exist today. A book called Burke's Landed Gentry for Scotland lists only about 130 of them.

How Feudal Titles Are Used Today

When you talk to a Peer, you would usually call them 'Lord Placename' or 'Lord Such-and-so'. But someone holding a feudal lordship is called 'Lord of Placename' or just 'Placename'. A feudal baron is called 'Baron of Placename' or 'Placename'.

If a woman holds a feudal barony, she is usually called 'Lady Placename'. If a Lord is married, his wife gets the polite title 'Lady Placename'. However, if a woman holds a feudal barony herself, her husband is simply called Mr. 'Surname'.

It's important not to confuse Lords of Regality, feudal lords, or feudal barons with a manorial lordship. Manorial lordships were different and usually related to land ownership in England, not Scotland.

Someone who holds a Scottish feudal lordship can add the title to their name, just like a baron. For example, "John Smith, Lord of Inverglen." Or they can add the place name to their surname, like "John Smith of Inverglen, Lord of Inverglen." Some very old Scottish families prefer to be known just by the place name, like "Smith of Inverglen."

For a UK passport, if you want to include a feudal title, you need to show proof that the Lord Lyon (Scotland's official in charge of heraldry and titles) has recognized it. Or, the title must be listed in Burke's Peerage, a book about noble families. If accepted, the place name is added to your surname (like 'Smith of Inverglen'). The passport would then show your full name, followed by your feudal title, for example: The holder is John Smith, Lord of Inverglen.

Famous Feudal Lordships (Before 1707)

Here is a list of some Scottish feudal lordships that were created before 1707. This list is not complete.

a: The creation date is the earliest known date for the Lordship and subject to revision

b: The Barony of Hailes was granted to Adam de Hepburn by Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March in 1343

See also

• Peerage of Scotland
• Barons in Scotland
• Feudal Earldom
• Order of precedence in Scotland
• English feudal barony
• Marcher Lord (Welsh Marches)
• Marcher Lord
• Register of the Great Seal of Scotland;
• Abolition of Feudal Tenure Act, Scotland;
• Statutes of 1592;
• Baronetcy Warrants of Charles I.