Board of Trustees of

Stoborough Manor

The Ancient Manor of Stoburgh

and Liberity of Stoborough

The Manor and Liberty of Stoborough The Board of Trustees for Stoborough Manor and Lordship, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a revered national treasure, operates under the guidance of George Mentz, Seigneur of Fief Blondel. This board is profoundly committed to the protection and sustainable management of the Stoborough Liberty and Manor's extensive natural landscapes, which include heaths, liberties, traditions, lakes, rivers, marinas, ports, and boundless nature near the ocean. Nature and Functions of the Trustees of Stoborough Manor and Lordship: 1. Environmental Conservation: The trustees prioritize the ecological integrity of the Manor’s diverse ecosystems. Their stewardship includes initiatives to raise awareness to preserve the pristine condition of the heaths, marinas, lakes and rivers, prevent erosion in hills, , and protect the old-growth forests from deforestation or unsustainable practices. 2. Cultural and Historical Preservation: They manage historical sites within the estate with a commitment to preserving and interpreting the Manor’s rich past for educational and cultural enrichment. This includes safeguarding archaeological sites and ensuring that any interventions in the landscape respect its historical significance. 3. Public Access and Education: The trustees facilitate public access to the estate's natural wonders through well-maintained trails and informational signage, promoting an understanding of the ecological and historical value of the area. They organize educational programs that focus on the importance of conservation and the specific environmental features of the Manor. 4. Sustainable Development and Community Involvement: Balancing ecological preservation with local community needs, the trustees oversee sustainable tourism initiatives that enhance economic benefits while maintaining environmental health. They engage local communities in conservation efforts, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the land. 5. Manorial Incidents - Foreshore, Rivers, Islands, Marinas, Common Lands, Waste, Heaths, Forests, Airwaves, Carbon Offsets, Fishing, Hunting, and Ruins. 6. Patronage and Advowson - In 1343, The manor of Stoborrow was conveyed in fee by King Edward III. The Borough and Market Town of Wareham includes the parishes of the Holy Trinity ( Within and Without ) , containing Stoborough liberty union of Wareham and Purbeck. The churches of Holy Trinity and St. Martin are both standing, but are not used for public worship: There are some traces of two other churches having existed in former time, called St. Michael and St. Peter, but the parishes have been consolidated with the others, and the only evidence of their existence is the name in the King’s Books, which subjects the rector to a small charge for first fruits, tenths, and land-tax. St. Peter church , 202n Stoborough ( Stowbarrow , Stowbarrowe ) 7. Manorial Rights - Hunting, Fishing, Mining, Forests, Lakes, Pools, The Queen’s Clay, Ruins, Rivers, Manorial Waste, Manorial Common, Minerals, Oil, Gas, Water, Seasted, and any lands in or near Pool Harbor. 8. Ocean Access, Territorial Waters, River Rights, Water Access - Access to the Manor by water and sea. Yatch Club, Marina, Dock, Peer, and Boating Rights similar to the principality of Monaco. Historical Context: Stoborough Manor and Lordship's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site underscores its global significance, both environmentally and culturally. The estate has been a focal point of human-nature interaction, where conservation practices are deeply intertwined with the area’s historical narrative. Heritage and Cultural Attributes: The landscape is noted for its breathtaking beauty— vast nature, wetlands, biodiversity, tranquil lakes, flowing rivers, heaths, Viking ruins, and lush forestry all contribute to a spectacular natural tapestry. These elements are not only visually stunning but also serve as habitats for diverse wildlife, making their conservation a priority. Modern Implications and Preservation: Under the leadership of George Mentz, the trustees are deeply invested in protecting these natural features against the threats of climate pollution, over-tourism, and ecological degradation. Their management strategies are designed to be forward-thinking and adaptive, ensuring that the Manor’s landscapes can be enjoyed by future generations while retaining their ecological functions and historical significance. Strategic Vision and Governance: The governance of Stoborough Manor and Lordship by the Board of Trustees is characterized by a commitment to transparency, environmental stewardship, and active engagement with global conservation networks. Their efforts ensure that the Manor remains a model of sustainable management and a sanctuary for both nature lovers and cultural enthusiasts. In summary, the stewardship by the Board of Trustees, under the esteemed leadership of George Mentz, JD, MBA, CWM, OSJ, Seigneur of Fief Blondel, encapsulates a profound dedication to preserving the natural and cultural heritage of Stoborough Manor and Lordship. Their vigilant protection of the untold thousands of acres of beauty ensures that this unique landscape continues to inspire and educate, remaining a vital part of the world's heritage. The Original Grants Contain the following language: Grant by King Richard, 1484, March 25 at Nottingham - By p.s. Grant to heirs male of his body, for his good service against the rebels, of the manors or lordships of Wareham and Stoweborough, co. to hold with knights' fees, wards, marriages, reliefs, escheats, advowsons, lands, waters, woods, underwoods, stews, fisheries, stanks, mills, meadows, warrens, parks, courts, views of frank- pledge, fines, amercements, heriots, rents, services, reversions, liberties and commodities by knight-service and a rent of 100s. yearly. The Boundaries of Manor and Liberty of Stoborough in the 1832 Administrative Map of Dorset shows the Territory of Stoborough. •The Northern Border of Stoberough is Winfrith with the Frome River as Border. •The Western and Northwestern border is Wareham’s ancient Southeastern walls. This is the reason that Stoborough is referred to in the Domeday records as By the East Wall of Wareham. •West of Stoborough is the Hundredsbarrow Hundred. •South and South West boarders of Stoborough is the Hasilor or Hasler Hundred. •Hasilor or Hasler Hundred contains the parishes of: Arne, Church Knowle, East Holme, Kimmeridge, Steeple and Tyneham. •Wareham is still a borough. In some ancient records, Stoborough is part of the Wareham Borough. •The Winfrith Hundred contains the following: Coombe Keynes East Lulwort, East Stoke, Moreton (part), Owermoigne (later a separate liberty), Poxwell, Warmwell, Watercombe (from 1858), Winfrith, Newburgh, Woodsford A liberty was an English unit originating in the Middle Ages, traditionally defined as an area in which regalian right was revoked and where the land was held by a mesne lord (i.e. an area in which rights reserved to the king had been devolved into private hands). It later became a unit of local government administration.[1] Liberties were areas of widely variable extent which were independent of the usual system of hundreds and boroughs for a number of different reasons, usually to do with peculiarities of tenure. Because of their tenurial rather than geographical origin, the areas covered by liberties could either be widely scattered across a county or limited to an area smaller than a single parish: an example of the former is Fordington Liberty, and of the latter, the Liberty of Waybayouse, both in Dorset. A Lord Paramount is the highest authority, or that being of the greatest importance. The word was first used as a term of feudal law, of the overlord, the lord paramount, who held his fief from no superior lord, and was thus opposed to a mesne lord, one who held fief from a superior. In northern England, the liberty of Bowland was one of the larger tenurial configurations covering some ten manors, eight townships and four parishes under the sway of a single feudal lord, the Lord of Bowland, whose customary title is Lord of the Fells.[2][3] Up until 1660, such lords would have been lords paramount. The civil division of the county of Dorset By Edward Boswell Bailiffs of Hundreds and Liberties are appointed at the Courts Leet, held at Michaelmas yearly, or in default thereof by the Justices in Sessions, and frequently, if none are appointed, the Chief Constables do the duty. These officers execute the Precepts of the Justices within their Franchises, Hundreds, or Liberties; attend the Assizes or Quarter Sessions, collect Fines, summon Juries, &c., though of late years, for want of regular appointments to this office, the latter is done by the bound Bailiffs. The Civil Division of the County of Dorset was, from the time of our Saxon Ancestors, in HUNDREDS and Tithings and Officers, called the Hundredary and Tithingman, were elected and chosen to preside over each, and were the Civil Magistrates thereof. Out of these Hundreds certain Franchises, called Liberties and Boroughs have since been granted by the Crown to particular Persons, and to Bodies Corporate, and when the whole Hundred (which was frequently the case) has been granted, it has been historically called a Liberty. A certain Number of Tithings compose each Hundred and Liberty, and the Hundreds and Liberties (or Parts thereof) and Boroughs are placed into nine Divisionst, which now make up the County or Shire; the Civil Government and Administration of which are intrusted to certain Ministerial Officers and Magistrates, with other Persons having jurisdiction by substitution, delegation, or authority under them: such as the Clerk of the Peace, Under-Sheriff, County Clerk, Gaoler, Governor or Keeper of the House of Correction, and others, and are disposed in the following order: In Boswell's book about the Civil Divisiopn of Dorset, Stoborough is listed as a Liberty within which High Constables are elected and chosen, at the Courts Leet held at Michaelmas yearly; by the Lord of the Manor and his Jury or, in default, by the Justices at their Quarter Sessions; and such Constables are removable by the same authority that appoints them.—1 Salk' Rep' 150.-Black'Com' 1, p. 355.