Wikipedia

Liberty (division)

Alibertywas anEnglishunit originating in theMiddle Ages,traditionally defined as an area in whichregalian rightwas revoked and where the land was held by amesne lord(i.e., an area in which rights reserved to the king had beendevolvedinto private hands). It later became a unit oflocal government administration.[1]

Liberties were areas of widely variable extent which were independent of the usual system ofhundredsandboroughsfor a number of different reasons, usually to do with peculiarities oftenure.Because of their tenurial rather than geographical origin, the areas covered by liberties could either be widely scattered across acountyor limited to an area smaller than a singleparish:an example of the former isFordington Liberty,and of the latter, theLiberty of Waybayouse,both inDorset.

In northern England, the liberty ofBowlandwas one of the larger tenurial configurations covering some ten manors, eight townships and four parishes under the sway of a single feudal lord, theLord of Bowland,whose customary title isLord of the Fells.[2][3]Up until theTenures Abolition Act 1660(12 Cha. 2.c. 24), such lords would have beenlords paramount.

Liberties Act 1836
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act for extinguishing the Secular Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Ely in certain Liberties in the Counties of York, Nottingham, and Cambridge.
Citation6 & 7 Will. 4.c. 87
Dates
Royal assent17 August 1836
Other legislation
Amended byCoroners Act 1887
Repealed byStatute Law (Repeals) Act 1976
Status: Repealed

TheLiberties Act 1836(6 & 7 Will. 4.c. 87) ended the temporal jurisdiction of theArchbishop of Yorkand theBishop of Elyin several liberties, and theLiberties Act 1850(13 & 14 Vict.c. 105) permitted the merging of liberties in their counties. By 1867, only a handful remained:Ely,Havering-atte-Bower,St Albans,Peterborough,RiponandHaverfordwest.St Albans was subsequently joined to the county ofHertfordshirein 1875.

TheLocal Government Act 1888(51 & 52 Vict.c. 41) led to the ending of the special jurisdictions in April 1889: theIsle of ElyandSoke of Peterboroughbecameadministrative counties,while the three remaining liberties were united to their surrounding counties.

Inner and Middle Temples

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Inner TempleandMiddle Temple,which occupy an area inLondonknown asThe Temple,describe themselves as liberties based onletters patentfrom 1608 and retain a large degree of independence to the present day.[4]They areextra-parochial areas,historically not governed by theCity of London Corporation,and are today regarded as local authorities for most purposes.[5]

They are also outside theecclesiastical jurisdictionof theBishop of London.They geographically fall within the boundaries of theCity of London,but can be thought of as independentenclaves.

The local government functions of the Inner and Middle Temples are allocated by theTemples Order 1971(SI 1971/1732) which provides that the Sub-Treasurer of the Inner Temple and the Under-Treasurer of the Middle Temple may exercise any function of anInner London boroughdefined in either of ss.1(4) or 6London Government Act 1963which is not expressly excepted by an act or order. Exceptions in the Temples Order 1971 include various matters associated with housing, planning, public welfare and health; the effect is usually to direct such excepted powers or responsibilities to the Common Council of the City of London. TheCity of London Policehave policed the Temples since 1857 by consent rather than by imposition.[4]

List of liberties

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Ireland

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The term "liberty" was used in Ireland after the Norman conquest.[10]

Prison liberties

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The term "liberty" was also used in England for a demarcated area in the vicinity of a prison in which convicts could live upon regular payment of fees. Examples include theLiberty of the Fleetin the City, and theRules of the Benchin Southwark.

See also

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References

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  1. ^Sir Thomas Edlyne Tomlins, John Raithby (1814)."The statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 5 - Page 427".
  2. ^"Our Lord of the Fells".Longridge & Ribble Valley News.8 December 2010.
  3. ^"That Wicker Man Moment".Forest of Bowland official website.20 January 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 11 July 2011.
  4. ^ab"Historical information on the Inn as a Local Authority".Middle Temple.
  5. ^Laker, Martin (2009)."What place is that then?"(PDF).The Association of Geographic Information. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.Retrieved11 August2016.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^"The borough of Bedford: Borough | British History Online".
  7. ^"Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Orton".ParishRegister.co.uk.Retrieved22 October2012.
  8. ^"Rufford - Runwick".A Topographical Dictionary of England.1848. pp.711–716.Retrieved29 December2010.
  9. ^National Archive England Census 1881 Staffordshire, Wolverhampton, Trysull. Description of Enumeration District 10
  10. ^"The Anglo-French (Norman) Invasion of Ireland: Irish History".wesleyjohnston.Retrieved16 April2018.
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