Liberty of the Savoy
| The Savoy Liberty of the Duchy of Lancaster |
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| History | |
| • Created | 1246 |
| Status | Manor, Liberty |
| Government | Court Leet of the Savoy |
| • HQ | Somerset House |
| Subdivisions | |
| • Type | Wards (4) |
| • Units | Church, Middle, Royal, Savoy |
The Savoy was a manor and liberty located between the Liberty of Westminster and the City of London in the county of Middlesex. The Savoy formed part of the Duchy of Lancaster, and was also known as the Liberty of the Duchy of Lancaster. The duchy continues to have land holdings within the area. The manor and liberty included parts of the parishes of St Clement Danes, St Mary le Strand and the whole of the precinct of the Savoy.
Savoy is derived from Peter II, Count of Savoy who was granted land by Henry III in 1246.
In 1245 a palace was built by Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester. Following his death, the palace was granted by Henry III to Peter of Savoy, uncle of his queen, Eleanor of Provence, and was renamed Savoy Palace. Peter in turn gave the palace to the Congregation of Canons of the Great Saint Bernard, and it became the "Great Hospital of St Bernard de Monte Jovis in Savoy". The hospital was purchased by Queen Eleanor who gave the site to her second son, Edmund, Earl of Lancaster. When Edward I became king, he confirmed the ownership of the Savoy area to Edmund with letters patent.
In 1351 Henry of Grosmont, a great-grandson of Henry III, was created the 1st Duke of Lancaster for services in the Hundred Years War. The seat of Lancaster in Lancashire was raised to a county palatine. This meant the area was ruled by hereditary noblemen possessing special authority and autonomy from the rest of the Kingdom of England. Although the noblemen swore allegiance to the king, they had the power to rule the county and its contiguous land largely independently of the king. All other properties attached to the Duchy of Lancaster, including the Savoy became subject to the laws of the duke. As a consequence, someone being pursued for a debt in London could reside in the Savoy without fear of arrest by people acting under the authority of The Crown. Royal writs were not enforceable within the County of Lancashire until the 19th century. Lancaster had its own Court of Chancery until the 1970s. These circumstances have been used in historical fiction, such as the Aubrey-Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian.
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