US man buys feudal title once held by Henry III

The title gives the holder the right to style themselves Le Seigneur or La Dame de Feauville

An ancient feudal title once held by King Henry III has been purchased by a US entrepreneur who has a passion for feudal and medieval history.

Brady Brim-DeForest can now call himself Le Seigneur de Feauville as holder of the Fief Fauville title in St Sampson, Guernsey, which was sold by an island family.

The title was due to be auctioned but a deal was secured beforehand for Mr Brim-DeForest to pay £30,000 for it.

Martel Maides Auctions director and auctioneer Nick Renny said Mr Brim-DeForest already had the title of Baron of Balvaird in the Baronage of Scotland and added: "For him, it's cementing his place in history."

He added: "He has a genuine interest in feudal and medieval history. He's excited about it."

Mr Renny said the titles do not come up for sale very often and attract interest from people in Guernsey, often with those living near the land covered by the fief.

He said they tend to sell for between £20,000 to £30,000 and added "for the fun it gives you and a genuine piece of history I think it's rather good value".

He said the title "is an extraordinary thing" with links to royalty.

The title was recorded as being sold by King Henry III in 1248 and was then sold again in the reign of King Henry VIII to another family.

It does not come with any land but bestows "feudal overlordship" of 263 vergees - equal to 106 acres (431,000 sqm) - in the north of the island "which rights are purely honorific", the auction house's managing director, Jason Yendell said.

It was last bought by an unnamed buyer for £23,000 in 2014 and prior to that had been sold in 1964.

The island was split into two Fiefs around the year 1020 and these were divided into more Fiefs around the 1200s.

Such Fiefs, which is a Norman French word, would have brought in an income to the owners at that time.

By tradition the new owner will add their name to the register of Fief holders by attending Guernsey's Conveyancing Court and appearing before the Island Jurats to agree to the purchase, Mr Yendell said.

Other former holders of the title include Edmond de Chesney, who was Governor of Guernsey and neighbouring islands.

Mr Yendell said that over the centuries the income of manorial dues had been relinquished and only as late as 1980 a law was passed transferring duty payable on the sale of property from the Fiefs and their Seigneurs in favour of the Crown.