Legal Definitions - manor

A manor is a feudal estate that was usually granted by the king to a lord or other high-ranking person. It was cultivated as a unit and included a village community, often composed of serfs. The term "manor" can also refer to:

1. A jurisdictional right over tenants of an estate, usually exercised through a court baron.
2. A tract of land occupied by tenants who pay rent to a proprietor in the United States.
3. A mansion on an estate.

For example, in medieval England, a lord would be granted a manor by the king. The manor would include a village community of serfs who worked the land. The lord would have authority over the tenants and the right to hold a court for them. In the United States, a manor might refer to a large estate with a mansion and tenants who pay rent to the owner.