Advowson

Advowson is a legal right that allows someone, often a landowner, to recommend or appoint a priest or rector to lead a local church. Historically, it meant owning the privilege to choose who would serve as the church’s minister, often tied to property or land ownership. This right could be bought, sold, or inherited, and was significant in the church’s relationship with landowners and communities. Today, advowsons are less common but still exist in some legal arrangements, symbolizing the historical connection between land rights and ecclesiastical appointment.