advowson

An advowson is a historic right in ecclesiastical law to nominate a person for appointment to a vacant benefice, typically a parish church. The patron presents a candidate to the diocesan bishop, who may institute and induct the appointee to the living. In practice, the advowson functioned as a form of patronage tied to land or endowment and is most closely associated with the Church of England and medieval church organization.

The practice arose in medieval England and began as part of feudal landholding, allowing lords, religious houses, colleges, or bishops to control the appointment of clergy. An advowson could be "in gross," enabling the patron to present any suitable candidate, or "appurtenant" to a manor, binding the right to the land. The patron might transfer or mortgage the advowson by deed; the bishop retained the institution power, subject to canonical rules. Disputes or refusals could occur, and remedies were shaped by ecclesiastical law.

Today, advowsons still exist as a form of property interest in some jurisdictions, especially within the Church of England, but are exercised within modern diocesan procedures. Patronage may be held by lay bodies, collegiate foundations, or the Crown; transfers and exercises are governed by statutes, ecclesiastical law, and diocesan practice. The core concept remains the right to present a candidate for a parish benefice, rather than the appointment itself.