Lords should act to retain manorial rights ©Rex Actor Peter Bowles in BBC comedy series To the Manor Born To the manor born? You have just weeks to register your "manorial rights" - and any claims over mines and minerals - before a change in legislation affecting these interests comes into effect. Manorial rights tend to include mineral rights, sporting rights or the right to hold a fair or market, but can include rights to shipwrecks and the right to operate a ferry across a river. Historically, these interests were attached to the ownership of the land and allocated to the lord of the manor. In many instances, they were retained by the "lord" when the land became freehold. To date, manorial and other rights have been protected by law without the requirement for them to be registered at the Land Registry. However, this was altered by the Land Registration Act 2002, which states that for manorial rights to continue to exist they must be registered. If the rights are not registered by October 12 the interests will be lost upon any subsequent sale of the property. Crispin Mahony, head of the rural department of Savills, said: "While the landowner can carry out normal agricultural operations, anything involving deeper works which could interfere with the ownership of the minerals requires the consent of the lord of the manor." Manorial rights can be very valuable to some owners. Owners of mineral rights could claim future rent and royalties if the minerals are exploited. Henry Cecil, partner at Bircham Dyson Bell, a law firm, said landowners should take steps to ensure they are registered because while these individuals may not consider the rights valuable at the moment, they may become more so over time. He said anyone who believes they may have such rights should investigate their potential and formal title.