Feoffment

Feoffment is a historical legal term in English common law referring to a type of conveyance of land. Specifically, it was the grant of a freehold estate in land, conferring seisin (possession) upon the feoffee (the recipient).

The key characteristic of a feoffment was the livery of seisin. This involved a formal, symbolic transfer of possession in the presence of witnesses, typically on the land itself. The feoffor (the grantor) physically handed over something representing the land, such as a twig, clod of earth, or the hasp of the door, to the feoffee. This act signified the transfer of the right to possess and enjoy the land.

Unlike later forms of conveyance, a feoffment did not necessarily require a written deed, although it was common practice to have one, known as a charter of feoffment, to document the transaction. However, the livery of seisin was the essential element that made the feoffment valid.

Feoffments were a significant feature of medieval land law and were used extensively for transferring ownership and creating tenures. Over time, with the Statute of Uses in 1536 and subsequent legislation, other methods of conveyance became more common, eventually rendering feoffments obsolete in most jurisdictions. They are now largely of historical interest.

The term "feoffment" can also sometimes refer to the document (the charter of feoffment) that records the transaction. The charter would typically specify the terms of the grant, any conditions attached, and the services or obligations owed by the feoffee to the feoffor or other lords.