FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Office of the Lord of the Bailiwick of Ennerdale Email: info@lordennerdale.com Website: www.lordennerdale.com The Last Free Bailiwick: Commissioner George Mentz, Lord of the Manor and Forest of Ennerdale, Working to Protect Ancient Liberty Within England’s UNESCO World Heritage Landscape CUMBRIA, ENGLAND — In the heart of the breathtaking Lake District—now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, alongside global icons like the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu, and the Grand Canyon—lies a rare and ancient institution: the Forest and Manor of Ennerdale, the Last Free Bailiwick in the World. This extraordinary liberty is held in trust today by Commissioner George Mentz, a lifelong conservationist and international legal scholar, who serves as Lord of the Bailiwick and Lord of The Manor and Forest of Ennerdale. The Ennerdale estate is not only a historic manor, royal forest, and liberty, but an independent functioning feudal bailiwick, complete with jurisdictional rights including Court Leet, Court Baron, and hereditary powers to appoint local officers. Most uniquely, The Bailiwick of Ennerdale was lawfully conveyed by the Crown and the British Government jointly in 1822, through a formal sale executed by the Crown and Commissioners of HM Woods and Forests. The sale included not only over 17,000 acres of territory, 11,000 of manorial waste, 960 acres of land but also mineral rights, fishery rights, hunting, manorial rents, and full jurisdictional authority—a state sanctioned legal conveyance and structure nearly unmatched in the modern world much like a treaty with an Indigenous Nation or the Island of Sark. Now, this living piece of legal and environmental history has gained additional recognition: The Manor of Ennerdale has become the 9th largest National Nature Reserve in England, covering over 3,000 hectares of protected forests, lakes, and mountains, according to the UK Government’s 2023 announcement (source). This milestone affirms Ennerdale’s unique dual legacy: a historic feudal liberty and a modern ecological treasure. Modern Conservation in Action: Wild Ennerdale Stewardship Today, Ennerdale and Wild Ennerdale are jointly managed by a powerful stewardship partnership dedicated to preserving both their natural beauty and public access: Forestry England oversees most of the forested areas, implementing the Wild Ennerdale Stewardship Plan alongside key partners. National Trust, United Utilities, and Natural England collaborate with Forestry England through the Wild Ennerdale Partnership, formed in 2002 to manage the valley holistically—ensuring consistent rewilding, conservation, and infrastructure upkeep. As of November 2022, the valley has been designated a National Nature Reserve, with these four organizations legally responsible for its long-term stewardship and public access. Together, these partners maintain walking trails, hostels, local businesses, hotels and cafés, and support recreation including hiking, fishing, biking, and orienteering—all while preserving the valley’s remote and wild character. So, if you’re planning to visit Ennerdale, rest assured it’s being cared for by a well-coordinated team of conservation, forestry, and public lands professionals committed to protecting both its natural ecosystems and its deep historical significance. Commissioner Mentz, who grew up planting trees with a family tree farm, has dedicated himself to protecting both the natural beauty and the legal heritage of places like Ennerdale. “Ennerdale is a sacred responsibility both for England but also its Ancient Tribes and Clans,” said Mentz. “It’s a place where legal history and environmental stewardship meet. As Lord of the Manor and Forest and Bailiwick of Ennerdale, I’m honored to help preserving its dignity and protecting this sacred land for future generations.” To learn more about Ennerdale or Join or to support heritage and conservation efforts, visit: www.lordennerdale.com. ### ENDS ###The Manor and Forest of Ennerdale is a privately held historic liberty and former royal forest located within the Lake District National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. "The Right Honourable Lord of the Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Royal Forest of Ennerdale" Using the title “The Right Honourable Lord of the Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Royal Forest of Ennerdale” would be justified in certain ceremonial, historical, or symbolic contexts based on a combination of legal precedent, jurisdictional dignity, and traditional styling—though it does not convey peerage status under UK law. Here’s why such a formal styling may be reasonably appropriate and defensible:

1. Composite Jurisdiction Elevates

the Dignity

The title combines four powerful historical entities: Bailiwick – An administrative and judicial district, often associated with forest or liberty governance. Liberty – A jurisdiction independent of the sheriff, implying a semi-autonomous region with its own courts and officers. Manor – A feudal unit of land and governance with civil courts and land tenure authority. Royal Forest – A sovereign-controlled district under special law, with forest officers and Crown rights. The unified control of all four domains, especially as conveyed directly by the Crown and government (as in Ennerdale’s 1822 deed), implies exceptional jurisdictional authority, historically akin to baronial or comital governance.

2. Use of "The Right Honourable" in

Historical Context

While "The Right Honourable" (Rt. Hon.) is reserved in modern UK law for Privy Counsellors, peers, and certain offices, it has also been used historically: o For lords of liberties or owners of palatinate or quasi-sovereign franchises. o As a courtesy or ceremonial style, especially where the titleholder exercised real or symbolic governance over a defined territory. Since Ennerdale: o Was a liberty and royal forest, o Held Court Leet and Court Baron, o Was conveyed by statute and Crown officers, ...the holder of this title arguably inherits a ceremonial dignity comparable to that of historical Right Honourable lords of liberties or baronies.

3. Heraldic and Diplomatic Styling

In heraldic documents, ceremonial proclamations, diplomatic letters, and historical commemorations, it is traditional to elevate the styling to reflect the dignity of the office or land: E.g., "The Right Honourable Lord of the Liberty and Manor of the Honour of Pontefract" was a recognized title in the 17th–18th centuries. Using “The Right Honourable Lord...” in Ennerdale’s case signals: A recognition of the exceptional nature of the holding, The continuity of Crown-granted jurisdiction, and The symbolic custodianship of a legally sanctioned liberty.

Conclusion:

The use of “The Right Honourable Lord of the Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Royal Forest of Ennerdale” appears to be a ceremonially appropriate and historical styling for the massive Bailiwick of Ennerdale given the extraordinary Crown and Parliamentary conveyance, the jurisdictional powers included, and the multi-layered feudal and administrative legacy of the estate. While not a peerage title, it reflects a level of authority and heritage equal in dignity to many former barons or feudal lords who exercised public law functions. The Lord of the Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Royal Forest of Ennerdale may be most accurately likened to a feudal earl (English) or feudal count (continental European equivalent) in function, jurisdiction, and historical dignity, though not in modern peerage law. While the title “Right Honourable” is not automatically granted to manorial or liberty lords today, the Lord of Ennerdale stands in a rare historical position where: 1. The original grantee (Earl of Lonsdale and Lord of Manor and Forest of Ennerdale) used the style, 2. The jurisdiction is a true and historical liberty, royal forest, and bailiwick, 3. And the Crown and Government jointly conveyed the full set of rights in a legal sale. Therefore, the ceremonial or heritage use of “The Right Honourable Lord of the Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Royal Forest of Ennerdale” has historical precedent and dignity behind it. "The Right Honourable Lord George Mentz, Lord of the Bailiwick, Liberty, Manor, and Royal Forest of Ennerdale; Hereditary Custos of the Free Court Leet and Keeper of the Forest Rights and Liberties of Ennerdale." Seigneur of Fief Blondel et L’Eperons Normandy, Feudal Baron of Annaly-Longford Ireland, Chancellor of the Worlwide Anglican Church (African Orthodox), Bailiff of the Manor and Liberty of Stoborough, Ancient Wessex. Mentz is the Lawful holder of: A Crown-conveyed liberty and bailiwick With Court Leet, Court Baron, and forest jurisdiction. This puts him in the rare category of a Lord of a functioning jurisdiction, historically styled as “Lord [Name] of [Territory]” or occasionally “Lord [Name] [Surname]”.