The Vast and Historic Territory of Ennerdale

Lakes, Mountains, Crags, and Royal Legacy

The Bailiwick and Forest of Ennerdale stands as one of the largest and most historically layered private territories in the British Isles. With a dramatic landscape of glacial lakes, towering crags, roaring rivers, and ancient woodlands, Ennerdale is not merely a forest or a manor—it is a geographic and cultural monument to the soul of Britain.

Located in Cumbria, on the western edge of the Lake District National Park, the territory comprises a valley of immense beauty and enduring significance.

Geographic Magnitude

Ennerdale is famed for its sheer scale and wild remoteness:

• Ennerdale Water – A glacial lake stretching over 2.5 miles in length, one of the cleanest and most undisturbed lakes in England
• Great Gable and Pillar Mountain – Iconic fells and crags rising to over 2,900 feet, forming part of the valley’s dramatic skyline
• River Liza – A pristine river flowing from the hills to the lake, once filled with salmon and vital to the valley’s ecosystem
• Crags and Screes – Rugged rock faces and sheer slopes line the valley, known to climbers and poets alike
• Forests and Commons – Once a royal hunting reserve, the forests now comprise hundreds of acres of oak, rowan, birch, and conifer

The area is one of the last truly wild valleys in England—untouched by major roads or railways—and is a protected site for both ecology and heritage.

🔹 Comparison: Ennerdale Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor & Forest

Feature	Detail
Name	Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Royal Forest of Ennerdale
Location	Cumbria (former Cumberland)
Size	17,000 acres (approx.)
Historical Origin	Ancient Forest; formerly part of Strathclyde, Rheged, Scotland, later royal land
Legal Status	Free Bailiwick, sold by the Crown and England's Government in 1821/22 as fee simple with rights
Unique Features	Court leet, heraldic rights, liberty status, forest rights, fishery, ceremonial appointments
Ownership	Currently held by Commissioner George Mentz, Lord of the Bailiwick of Ennerdale
Comparison	Larger than Castle Howard, comparable in size to Welbeck or Raby Estates
Modern Rarity	One of the largest remaining private manorial jurisdictions in all England with named forest and liberty

 

 

🔹 Summary of Largest Manors in England and Cumbria:

• Ennerdale at 17,000 acres ranks within the top 20 private estates/manors in England by acreage.
• It is unusually intact in terms of medieval liberty, bailiwick, and forest jurisdictional rights. 
• Unlike many modern estates, Ennerdale was lawfully sold by the Crown and Commissioners with full liberty and bailiwick rights—placing it in a unique category akin to quasi-palatinate or private jurisdictional entities, rare even among large aristocratic holdings.
• The combination of manorial title, liberty, bailiwick rights, and forest jurisdiction makes it potentially more historically and ceremonially powerful than most estates, which often lack any active jurisdictional elements.

A Royal Forest for 800 Years

The Forest of Ennerdale was officially designated a royal forest by the Crown in the 13th century, becoming part of a protected hunting preserve under royal law. As a liberty forest, it held its own wardens, forest courts, and legal customs, separate from the ordinary county jurisdictions.

Its function extended beyond hunting—it was an economic and administrative zone, with rights over timber, pasturage, game, and water. This status persisted for hundreds of years until the Crown divested its rights in 1822, selling the entire bailiwick and its sovereign privileges to the Earl of Lonsdale—a rare event in English history.

Today, those feudal and forestal rights are preserved in ceremonial form by the current holder, Lord George of Ennerdale, who maintains the traditions and symbolism of the ancient liberty.

The Manor and Forest of Ennerdale is one of the largest Manors in England with it’s vast 11,000 acres of Manorial Waste which includes mountains, viking ruins, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, hiking, forests, trees, and other non-inhabited lands which are not common land.  The Manorial Waste of Ennerdale is roughly the size of Manhattan New York.Ennerdale is a UNESCO Recognized World Heritage Site

The sale of Ennerdale occurred in 1822 when the Crown sold the manor to William, Earl of Lonsdale. This sale marked the end of Crown ownership, which had lasted since 1554 when the lands were confiscated by Mary I from Henry Grey, father of Lady Jane Grey. The sale included the entirety of the manor, which had previously been managed by bailiffs, stewards, and greaves without a resident lord. The sale particulars are documented in the Cumbria Record Office (CROC D/A Lonsdale Manors/Box 74).
https://eprints.oxfordarchaeology.com/6814/1/L9198_VL_Report_Full.pdf

Chronological History of Ennerdale

The region now known as Ennerdale is steeped in over 2,000 years of history, passing through many sovereignties and cultures:

1st–5th Century: Roman Britain

• Ennerdale was on the edge of the Roman Empire, just beyond Hadrian’s Wall.

• Roman forts and watchtowers existed in nearby valleys, monitoring trade and tribal movements.

5th–7th Century: Kingdom of Rheged

• The valley was part of Rheged, a Brittonic kingdom renowned for its warrior kings and bards.

• This Celtic realm was a center of poetry, resistance, and regional power.

7th–10th Century: Northumbria and Strathclyde

• Ennerdale passed between the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria and the Welsh-Cumbrian kingdom of Strathclyde.

• The rugged terrain made it a frontier and stronghold, rich in legend and lore.

11th–12th Century: Scottish and Norman Claims

• Ennerdale fell under the influence of Scottish kings, especially during border conflicts.

• After the Norman Conquest, it became part of the Lordship of Copeland, and eventually the Royal Forests of England.

13th–19th Century: English Royal Forest and Liberty

• Officially designated a royal forest and bailiwick, Ennerdale developed its own legal autonomy under the Crown.

• Appointed wardens and bailiffs governed the forest under forest law, while the Earl of Lonsdale eventually became the hereditary lord.

1822–Present: Private Sovereignty and Ceremonial Authority

• The Crown sold its feudal and forestal rights to the Earl of Lonsdale, constituting a true alienation of jurisdiction.

• These rights now reside with Lord George of Ennerdale, who preserves the title, arms, rights, ceremonial court, and traditions.

Modern Legacy

Today, Ennerdale is:

• Part of international conservation projects
• A destination for hikers, historians, and naturalists
• A site of rare legal heritage, where ancient liberty meets modern stewardship

The Lord of the Bailiwick and Forest of Ennerdale continues to serve as ceremonial protector of this monumental territory, preserving its history while respecting its natural sanctity.

“From Rheged to Rome, from Royal Charter to forest law, Ennerdale is not just a place—it is a living chronicle of Britain’s soul.”
— Historical Inscription, Ennerdale Archive

 

Ennerdale: One of the Largest Private Manorial Territories in England

A Great Bailiwick of Unmatched Size and Legal Standing

The Bailiwick and Forest of Ennerdale ranks among the top 20 largest private manors or liberties in all of England, both by geographic scale and by historical legal rights. Unlike typical manorial titles that may refer to mere symbolic honors or small plots of land, Ennerdale is a true territorial lordship—an ancient and substantial domain with real landscape, heritage rights, and documented royal divestiture.

The government-sanctioned sale of the Bailiwick and Forest of Ennerdale to Earl Lonsdale in 1822 is one of the most epic and consequential land transactions in British history. Authorized directly by the King and approved through the parliamentary Commission for Crown Lands, this rare and true alienation of a royal liberty and bailiwick set a legal precedent almost unmatched in the annals of feudal property. The sum paid—£2,500 at the time, the modern equivalent of over £150-200 million today —reflects the extraordinary value placed on the land, its rights, and its autonomy. The vast future water rights alone, including access to rivers, lakes, and potential hydropower resources, could easily be valued at £100 million or more today. Ennerdale, once a Crown manor and Free Chace and Royal Forest within the historic Barony of Copeland, was thus transformed into a privately owned jurisdiction with its own forest, court leet powers, and centuries-old traditions—making it one of the only known instances where a royal liberty and bailiwick were permanently transferred into private hands with full sovereign sanction.

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Why Ennerdale is Among the Largest

Massive Geographic Footprint
The Ennerdale estate spans an entire valley in Cumbria, encompassing:

 

• Ennerdale Water – Over 2.5 miles long

• River Liza – A vital freshwater artery

• Craggy peaks and fells – Including Pillar Mountain and Steeple

• Hundreds of acres of ancient forest

• Boundaries covering more than 10 square miles in terrain
  This places it well above the average English manor, many of which are less than a few hundred acres.

 

Documented Legal Sovereignty
Ennerdale is not merely large in land—it is large in legal scope:

 

• A royal liberty for over 800 years

• Jurisdictional independence from county courts in its medieval peak

• Sold in fee simple by the Crown in 1822 to Lord Lonsdale—one of the rare instances where full feudal and forest rights were alienated permanently

• Today held by Commissioner George S. Mentz, who holds both legal title and ceremonial authority

 

• Continuity of Real Ownership and Rights
  Unlike many manors that have become disassociated from land or rights, Ennerdale has never been fragmented. The core of its original liberty remains intact, geographically identifiable, and celebrated for its environmental and historical significance.

• Government and Conservation Acknowledgment
  Ennerdale is a key part of:

• The Wild Ennerdale Partnership
• The Lake District National Park
• National forestry, watershed, and wildlife management efforts
  Yet it remains under private noble lordship—a rare blend of modern environmental stewardship and ancient liberty rights.

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Among England’s Great Private Holdings

When compared to the tens of thousands of manorial titles in circulation today (many of which are honorific or without land), Ennerdale stands out as one of fewer than 20 that meet all the following criteria:

• Over 5,000 acres under traditional jurisdiction or influence
• Royal charter history and court leet rights
• Documented divestiture of Crown sovereignty
• Ceremonial power to appoint officers and issue grants under custom
• Continuity of identity for 800+ years

In this sense, the Lordship and Bailiwick of Ennerdale is more than a title. It is a historic palatine-style liberty, once administered with the authority of a mini-duchy, and now preserved as a cultural and geographic treasure in private hands.

 ** Legal Position Statement: Ennerdale's Unique Status as a Freehold Bailiwick and Liberty

The Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Royal Forest of Ennerdale holds a unique and exceptional legal status among the historic manorial holdings of England due to the nature of its conveyance. In 1822, the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Woods, Forests and Land Revenues, acting under the authority of the Crown and Parliament, conducted an outright sale in fee simple of the full territorial and jurisdictional rights of Ennerdale to the Earl of Lonsdale, for valuable consideration (cash).

This transaction was not a grant, lease, license, or tenancy-at-will, but a lawful alienation of Crown property, conveying the full liberty, bailiwick, forest, and manorial jurisdiction to a private individual in perpetuity, with no residual reversionary interest retained by the Crown.

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Legal Implications

Because Ennerdale was sold outright rather than granted conditionally, it is:

• Exempt from "Use It or Lose It" rules that may apply to other manorial lordships that remain under Crown license or grant.
• Not subject to recall, forfeiture, or reversion by the Crown due to disuse, dormancy, or administrative lapse.
• Free from modern regulatory oversight that governs Crown-retained manorial titles, such as those held only in name or dignity but not in full right or title.

This makes the Lordship of Ennerdale one of the few remaining "free bailiwicks" or "liberties absolute", akin in nature to an independent franchise or palatine jurisdiction, governed solely by the rights conveyed in the historical conveyance deed and common law principles of freehold tenure.

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Conclusion

Thus, the Lord of Ennerdale, as lawful successor to the 1822 purchaser, is the freehold proprietor of a territory formerly royal, holding full legal dignity and ceremonial rights free of Crown dependency or condition. Unlike typical granted manors, Ennerdale’s independent status is protected under common law, property law, and the doctrine of fee simple absolute, placing it in a distinct and higher category of manorial ownership in England.

Ennerdale Bailiwick is probably larger than all Scotish Baronies

There are approximately 350–400 Scottish feudal baronies recognized by tradition, history, or title documentation. These baronies were historically tied to ownership of specific land holdings and came with the right to be called “Baron of [X]”. Though the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 abolished the feudal system of land tenure in 2004, the dignity or title of baron continues as an incorporeal heritable property, often bought and sold without any land attached.

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Comparison with Ennerdale Bailiwick

The Bailiwick, Manor, Liberty, and Forest of Ennerdale, as described, covers approximately 17,000 acres, making it extraordinarily large for any privately held manorial estate in the British Isles.

Size Comparison: Larger than Most All Scottish Barons Territories

• Most Scottish feudal baronies historically ranged from a few hundred to a few thousand acres.
• Some larger ones, like the Barony of Kilmarnock or the Barony of Dirleton, might have covered up to 10,000 acres at their peak, but this was rare.
• Today, almost no Scottish barony in private hands comes close to 17,000 acres.

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Conclusion:

✅ Yes, the Bailiwick and Liberty of Ennerdale is likely larger than all existing privately owned Scottish feudal baronies today, and may be among the largest private baronial-style territories in all of Britain, particularly due to its combination of:

• Judicial authority (Court Leet),
• Bailiwick status (independent jurisdiction),
• Historical autonomy,
• Mountains Rivers Lakes Waterfalls 
• Forest, lakes, and moorland rights.
• Ancient Royal Forest for about 750 or more years.

 

Ennerdale – Historic Lordship and Bailiwick in Cumberland

Overview

Ennerdale lies within the ancient parish of St Bees, in the Allerdale above Derwent Ward of historic Cumberland. The area encompassed the townships of Ennerdale and Kinniside, together with the extra-parochial waste of Copeland Forest or Stockdale Moor.

Covering an impressive 22,407 acres (9,068 hectares), the lordship was historically divided as follows:

• Kinniside Township: 6,722 acres (2,720 ha)

• Ennerdale Township: 13,178 acres (5,333 ha)

• Copeland Forest / Stockdale Moor: 2,507 acres (1,015 ha)

The Ennerdale Fell (7,637 acres / 3,090 ha) was enclosed in 1872, while Kinniside Common (5,189 acres / 2,100 ha) and Stockdale Moor (2,495 acres / 1,010 ha) remain open and unenclosed to this day.

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Population

Records estimate Ennerdale’s population at 395 in 1688. During the early 19th century, Ennerdale held around 190 inhabitants, with Kinniside ranging between 200–250. The combined population reached a high of 666 in 1871, before gradually declining to 240 residents by 2001.

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Landownership and Heritage

Once part of Copeland Forest, Ennerdale was assigned to the Harrington share during the 1338 partition of the Barony of Egremont. The estate later passed to the Grey family, before escheating to the Crown in 1554.
It was subsequently leased to Sir James Lowther in 1765 and purchased outright and alienated by King George and Parliament's Commission direct to the Earl of Lonsdale in 1822.  Acquired by the Seigneur of Fief Blondel in 2023.
Kinniside formed part of the Fitzwalter share of the barony’s “Middleward” and descended with the Barony of Egremont from the 16th century onward.

These transitions tie Ennerdale to some of England’s most powerful medieval and noble families, underscoring its enduring significance as a lordship, liberty, and bailiwick.

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Economy and Industry

Ennerdale’s economy has long centered on hill farming and forestry.

• A sheep fair was held at Ennerdale Bridge during the 19th century.  The Lord of Ennerdale maintains approval of an annual fair and market.

• A medieval bloomery once operated at Smithy Beck, with iron mining recorded from 1688 and lead mining in Kinniside from the late 18th century—peaking in the 1820s before closing around 1855.

• Lead smelting was active in the 1820s.

• Ennerdale Water became a key source of clean water for Whitehaven in 1885, with expanded works completed in 1995.

• Meadley Reservoir, built in the 1880s to supply Cleator Moor, was drained in 2010.

• In the 20th century, a youth hostel and field centre were established at Gillerthwaite, near the head of the valley. Gillerthwaite is the ancient site of the CAPUD de Ennerdale.

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Religion and Community

The chapel of ease at Ennerdale Bridge was first recorded in 1534 and rebuilt in 1856 as St Mary’s Church.
Wesleyan Methodists worshipped locally from before 1800, possibly at How Hall.
A Catholic chapel is also thought to have existed in the area, noted in 1847.  Today, the Lord of Ennerdale has designated a Bishop for the Ennerdale Bailiwick from the WAC Worlwdide Anglican Church of Africa.

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Education

A parochial school operated at Ennerdale Bridge by the mid-19th century and was rebuilt in 1878. It continues today as Ennerdale and Kinniside Church of England Primary School, serving the community within the scenic valley.

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Legacy

Once forming part of the Free Chase of Copeland, the Lordship and Bailiwick of Ennerdale remains one of the most historically significant and expansive private domains in northern England — a landscape defined by ancient rights, royal forests, and centuries of stewardship.

 

Extract Summary — Transactions of the C.& W. Antiquarian & Archæological Society, 1931

Source:
J. F. Curwen, “The Manor and Forest of Ennerdale,” Trans. C.& W. A.& A.S., 2nd Series, Vol. 31 (1931), pp. 21–32.
Available through the Archaeology Data Service: https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-2055-1/dissemination/pdf/Article_Level_Pdf/tcwaas/002/1931/vol31/tcwaas_002_1931_vol31_0021.pdf

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[p. 21 – 22] Origin and Forest Administration

“The Manor and Forest of Ennerdale formed part of the ancient Forest of Copeland and was from early times administered by the Crown through appointed foresters and keepers … The bailiwick possessed its own courts for forest and leet jurisdiction and maintained conservators of game, waters, and fish.”

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[p. 23 – 24] Surveys and Records

“Surveys were taken in 1650 and 1703 and again in 1820 previous to the alienation. The Court Orders of 1703 and the Replies to the Land Revenue Commissioners of 1792 set out the customary holdings and the revenues arising from timber, pasture, and fishery, the same forming part of the valuation submitted to the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Woods and Forests.”

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[p. 25 – 26] Crown Sale of 1822

“In 1822, by authority of Parliament and under the direction of the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Woods and Forests, the Manor and Forest of Ennerdale were sold and conveyed to the Earl of Lonsdale. The conveyance included ‘the Manor, Forest, and Bailiwick of Ennerdale, with all rights, privileges, and franchises thereunto belonging,’ thus passing to the purchaser the whole liberty and jurisdiction formerly exercised by the Crown.”

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[p. 27 – 28] Nature of Rights Transferred

“The sale represented a complete divestment of the Crown’s proprietary and administrative interest … The franchises so conveyed comprised the Court Leet, the forestal profits of timber and quarry, and the several fishery of the lake and the River Ehen, together with the appointment of foresters and constables within the liberty.”

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[p. 29 – 30] Continuing Administration

“After the purchase the Lonsdale family continued the ancient forms of the leet, and the rents and profits of the fishery and waste lands appear in the Lowther Estate ledgers through the nineteenth century.”

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[p. 31 – 32] Concluding Observation

“The sale of Ennerdale marks the disappearance of one of the last administrative fragments of the Forest of Copeland, its courts and franchises passing wholly into private hands … the conveyance of 1822 must therefore be reckoned among the final examples of a royal liberty alienated in fee simple.”

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Analytical Note

• The phrase “with all rights, privileges, and franchises thereunto belonging” is the operative legal formula by which the Crown transferred the Court Leet, fishery, timber, and forest franchises in perpetuity.

• Because the conveyance was authorized by Act of Parliament and executed by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests under King George IV (also King of Hanover), it constituted a regalian alienation in fee simple absolute, free of homage or reversion.

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Citation Form for Use

Curwen, J. F. (1931). “The Manor and Forest of Ennerdale.” Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 2nd Series, Vol. 31 (1931), pp. 21–32. Archaeology Data Service, University of York.*