Subject

Under the feudal system the King owned all land and others could only hold it as the King's tenants. Transfers between tenants were known as 'alienations' and this required a licence from the King. Robert Dudley set up an office to manage this system, and to collect the fees and fines. Its role changed and shrunk over the years and by 1835 the system of land conveyancing meant that the Alienation Office could be abolished.