Most towns had a Manor and a Manor House and a Lord of the Manor, who held full jurisdiction over the town and "ruled the roost." The Lords of the Manor at one time possessed authority to hang a person without a fair trial. Because of the ignorance and the hard, cruel life of most of the working class, people could easily be incited to mob rule and to cheer at the hanging of a prisoner.

A Manor consisted of land titles confiscated from the enemies of the King and given to the King’s loyal subjects for service in battle. Originally, the Manor was held as "tenant of the will" under the King, but in due course of time, it became an inherited right and handed down through the heirs.

Many of the village people were hired by the Manor as servants to work on the farm or in the Manor House as maids, cooks, laundry women, housekeepers, etc. Most Manors had a park that was kept for hunting and fishing. The gamekeeper patrolled the park to keep the poachers from snaring rabbits and game birds, or killing the deer or other game.