English land law is the law of
real property in
England and Wales. Because of its heavy historical and social significance, land is a major part of the wider
English property law. Ownership of land has its roots in the
feudal system established by
William the Conqueror after 1066, and with a gradually diminishing aristocratic presence, now sees a large number of owners playing in an active market for real estate. The modern law's sources derive from the old courts of
common law and
equity which includes legislation such as the
Law of Property Act 1925, the
Settled Land Act 1925, the
Land Charges Act 1972, the
Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 and the
Land Registration Act 2002, and the
European Convention on Human Rights. At its core, English land law involves the acquisition, content and priority of rights and obligations among people with interests in land. Having a property right in land, as opposed to a contractual or some other personal right, matters because it creates privileges over other people's claims, particularly if the land is sold on, the possessor goes
insolvent, or when claiming various remedies, like
specific performance, in court.