The Bailiwick of Ennerdale Est 1251 - Hon. George Mentz JD MBA CWM

Historical Pedigree and Provenance of the Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Forest of Ennerdale

I. Overview and Significance

The Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Forest of Ennerdale is a historic and legally distinct feudal territory located in the ancient county of Cumberland, now part of Cumbria, England. Uniquely, Ennerdale is not merely a manorial holding but a recognized Liberty and Bailiwick, once administered independently under its own customs and forest law, and later sold outright by the Crown in tandem with the Government of England. As such, it remains one of the few hereditary private jurisdictions in England with documented legal autonomy, foreshore rights, water rights, and forestal privileges.

II. Ancient Origins

The origins of Ennerdale’s territory date back over a thousand years. The valley (or "dale") of Ennerdale, nestled in the Lake District, was long associated with royal forest lands held in the name of the Crown and preserved under forest law, an independent legal system in medieval England. The “Forest of Ennerdale” formed part of a vast royal domain designated for hunting and preservation, governed by forest officers, verderers, and bailiffs. It held a distinct status from the ordinary manorial system and included elements of palatine administration, typical of frontier regions in the North.

During the Middle Ages, parts of the lands were under the Barony of Copeland, and the Honour of Cockermouth, before becoming part of the extended holdings of the Earls of Lonsdale.

III. Sale by the Crown – 1822

In 1822, during a major rationalization of Crown landholdings and under the authority of the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues, the Forest and Liberty of Ennerdale was formally and legally sold in freehold to the Earl of Lonsdale. This was not a lease, patent, or life estate—but an absolute sale of land and manorial rights, including:

• The bailiwick and liberty jurisdiction;
• The forest land and waste;
• Any residual court leet or baronial rights;
• Foreshore and water rights, as implied by customary law;
• Authority to act as lord in fee simple, not in service to a higher barony or overlord.

This transaction, recorded in parliamentary and land commission documents, makes Ennerdale one of the rare examples where a Crown liberty and bailiwick were alienated by Crown and Parliament to a private holder with full jurisdictional dignity.

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 million—reflects the extraordinary value placed on the land, its rights, and its autonomy. The vast 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 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.

IV. Provenance and Descent

The Liberty of Ennerdale remained in the hands of the Lowther family, Earls of Lonsdale, for generations. As with many noble families in the 20th and 21st centuries, portions of their estates and dignities were gradually alienated, sold, or transferred.

In the 21st century, the rights, title, and dignity of the Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Forest of Ennerdale were formally and legally acquired by The Hon. Commissioner George Mentz, JD MBA DSS, a distinguished American legal scholar, author, professor of law, and former U.S. Presidential Commissioner. The acquisition included:

• A lawful transfer of title under English property law;

• The recognition of the manorial dignity, liberty, and bailiwick by legal opinion and historical precedent;

• Full entitlement to any associated arms, seals, or ceremonial rights inherent to the Liberty and Forest.

V. Rights and Distinctions of the Ennerdale Liberty and Bailiwick

Unlike typical manorial titles, Ennerdale holds a higher degree of legal and historical significance due to its origin as a Crown liberty and forest bailiwick, which includes:

• The right to create and maintain a legal seal or crest of the bailiwick;

• Court rights, including any surviving baronial or leet functions;

• Potential claims to foreshore, water, and mineral rights, based on the 1822 sale;

• Traditional authority to act as lord and bailiff, with accompanying dignity;

• Legal recognition as a "free tenant in chief", not in service to a higher manor;

• Preservation of symbolic jurisdiction, particularly within heraldic, ceremonial, and historical contexts.

VI. Present Lord and Seigneur

The current Lord and Bailiff of Ennerdale is the Hon. George Mentz, who is also:

• The Seigneur of the Fief of Blondel and L’Éperons in Guernsey (with real beaches and foreshore rights);

• A Doctor of Jurisprudence and MBA;

• A knighted dignitary and chancellor of several philanthropic, educational, and religious bodies;

• A guardian of feudal heritage, who maintains the dignity, seal, and international recognition of his holdings.

• A Datuk Seri of the Sultanate of Kampar which is akin to being awarded a noble status as a Count of Earl by the Kingdom and Government in South Asia

• A KOFO Warrior of ancient Akan Kingdom under the auspices of the government recognized Royal House and Local Council of Sefwi Obeng-Mim and the Chieftaincy of His Royal Highness Oheneba Nana Kwame Obeng II

Commissioner Mentz has restored and preserved the traditions of Ennerdale, including the creation of a formal seal of the Bailiwick, a crest, and ceremonial observances honoring its ancient forestal and liberty heritage.

🗺️ Timeline: Legal and Historical Development of the Bailiwick of Ennerdale

c. 1251 – Establishment as Royal Forest and Free Chase

• Ennerdale is recorded under Crown control, designated a Royal Forest and Free Chase under Henry III.

• Governed under Forest Law, making it a juridical and environmental zone distinct from common law England.

• Excluded from sheriff jurisdiction, establishing liberty status.

1251–1500s – Crown Officers Administer Forest

• Appointed foresters, verderers, and bailiffs enforce forest law.

• Ennerdale is held as part of the Barony of Copeland, but forest rights remain with the Crown.

1554 – Reversion to the Crown

• After the execution and attainder of Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, for high treason (father of Lady Jane Grey), the Barony of Copeland is forfeited.

• The Liberty and Forest of Ennerdale formally return to full Crown ownership as part of the honour lands of the Crown.

1623 – Granted to Prince Charles (later Charles I)

• King James I grants Ennerdale to Prince Charles (Prince of Wales) as part of a large package of Crown lands to support his household.

• Though owned by the Prince, Crown officers continue to manage the land.

1633 – Confirmation of Bailiwick Administration

• Algernon Percy, Earl of Northumberland, is formally recorded as:

  • Bailiff of the Liberty of Ennerdale

  • Keeper of the Forest of Ennerdale

  • Conductor of Tenants

• This confirms Ennerdale’s legal status as a Bailiwick, with officers of Crown justice and administration managing an independent liberty.

1650–1765 – Manorial Surveys and Crown Rentals

• Crown surveys, court rolls, and rent rolls continue to recognize Ennerdale as a forest liberty with special jurisdiction and bailiwick structure.

• Ennerdale’s status as a separate jurisdiction is affirmed in multiple valuations and inquisitions.

1820–1822 – Sold to Earl of Lonsdale

• The Crown sells the Manor, Forest, and Bailiwick of Ennerdale to William Lowther, Earl of Lonsdale, for a large sum (around £2,500 — over £150 million in today’s value).

• This was one of the only full alienations of a bailiwick and liberty by the Crown, transferring both feudal and jurisdictional rights.

20th–21st Century – Conservation and Private Jurisdiction Maintained

• Ennerdale remains under private ownership, with portions now incorporated into conservation areas and Wild Ennerdale rewilding projects.

• The title of Lord of the Forest, Liberty, and Bailiwick of Ennerdale continues under private ownership, retaining historical and ceremonial jurisdictional identity.

⚖️ Legal Framework Summary