Ancient Guernsey feudal title sells for £23,000

The Fief Fauville covers 263 vergees - equal to 106 acres or 431,000 sq m - in the north of the island.

Clive Maides, director of Martel Maides Auctions, said the fiefs titles were "rarely available in the open market" and it was "only the third I've sold by public auction in 40 years".

He said the unnamed island resident who won the auction could now be called Le Seigneur or La Dame De Fauville.

The title does not include the ownership of any land, but the "feudal overlord-ship" of the area, and involves no obligations.

Mr Maides said: "It was recorded as being sold by King Henry III in 1248, it was then sold again in the reign of King Henry VIII to another family... and it wasn't sold again until 1964.

"So this in fact will be only the fourth time it has been sold since 1248."

Former owners of the fief listed on the title deeds including King Henry III, warden (governor) of the Channel Islands Edmund de Cheney and bailiff of the Bailiwick of Guernsey Nicholas Fashin.