One option for people in Burnley is now to become a Lord or Lady of the Manor.

This month, the Lordship of the Manor of Habergham Eaves, which encompasses Towneley, will be sold at auction in London.

Valued at between £5,000 and £7,000, it is being offered by the current Lord of the manor, the fourth Baron O'Hagan, a direct descendant of the Towneley family who acquired the title in the 19th Century.

With the purchase of a Lordship (or Ladyship) there come privileges: You would be entitled to be known as Lord or Lady, have your new title emblazoned on your cheque book and credit card as well as your passport.

"You may, as the Lord, be asked to take part in local events, such as opening the annual village fete ... Such rights are traditional and purely honorific," Manorial Auctioneers' catalogue states.

The Manor of Habergham Eaves is described in the auctioneers' catalogue as a "township within the extensive parish of Burnley", bordered in part by the River Calder and "dominated by the lofty hill known as Horelaw, or Whorlaw, at the southern end of its township".

It was once linked to the Manor of Burnley, which belonged to Roger de Lacy, and was first recorded as belonging to Matthew de Habergham in 1211. Passed down from father to son until 1689 when the family line ended, it was bought by Manchester-born doctor George Halstead, again bought in the mid-19th century by John Holt and finally by the Towneley family.

"Think of the acquisition of a Lordship as the acquisition of a tiny piece of history when you become the latest in a chain of known owners going back many hundreds of years," the catalogue suggests.

The Lordship of Habergham Eaves will go under the hammer with 28 other English Lordships on May 20th and details are available from the auctioneers on 0207 582 1588 at a cost of £15.