When former boxer Chris Eubank became Lord of the Manor of Brighton in 1996, he earned the right to hold two fairs a year and charge for telegraph poles.

When five other Sussex manorial lordships go under the hammer this month, the new owners will also enjoy some nominal privileges.

The Lords of the Manor of Hurstpierpoint and Haselden can theoretically appoint their own vicar while in Aldingbourne, the lord has "free warren" to enjoy sporting rights.

The remaining two titles, Lords of the Manor of Clayton In The Hundred of Buttinghill and Clayton Wickham In The Hundred of Buttinghill, afford the owner the chance to run fairs.

Jonathan Chaplin, who is auctioning the titles for Strutt and Parker, said: "The title is like a property document which can be passed on to your son or sold like a property transaction.

"In the same auction, we also have the Lordship of the Manor of Florida, which is in Ireland.

That may attract quite a few buyers from America. Foreign buyers are allowed to purchase the titles but they can't take ancient documents out of the country.

"We have guide prices rather than reserve prices. For Haselden and Aldingbourne, the guide is £8,000.

"For Clayton, it's £8,500 and for Hurstpierpoint, which is slightly more prestigious, it is £10,000.

"Unusually, we had a lordship auction last year as well. Normally we would have one every two years.

"One of the most prestigious titles we sold was the Barony of Hastings which went for £92,500 with the price going through the roof. Last year our top price was £35,000."

The manor of Haselden is first documented in 1170.

It remained the possession of Hastings Priory until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII and was sold in 1536 to Sir John Baker of Sissinghurst for just over £3.

Today there is no manor, although parts of Haselden Farm near Dallington date from the 13th Century.

Owner Wendy Miers said: "I did know there was a lord of the manor. In fact, we were offered it quite a long time ago.

"Unfortunately it meant absolutely nothing. No one has the rights to graze animals on pieces of land or anything like that. It would just have been a nice little foible."

Mr Chaplin said the lordship came with the right of "advowson", the ability to appoint one's own vicar.

But as there is no parish of Haselden, or indeed a church, it might prove difficult to exercise.

Hurstpierpoint's manor can be dated back to before the Norman Conquest.

The settlement has a bloody history. One tyrannical lord was targeted by villagers who burnt the manor, while Thomas, Lord Dacre, was hanged for killing a gamekeeper.

The Lord of the Manor of Hurstpierpoint has the right of advowson as well as the ability to hold fairs.

Father John Joyce, rector of Hurstpierpoint, said he was surprised, particularly as there is no village vicar.

He said: "The parish priest of Hurstpierpoint is appointed by Hurstpierpoint College. I'm convinced my job is safe.

"They wouldn't be able to get rid of me anyway. Once you are in, it would require an Act of Parliament to remove you."

The buyers of the Clayton and Clayton Wickham lordships could have to fight out who is entitled to hold fairs in the tiny village.

The oldest title up for grabs is Aldingbourne, near Chichester, first mentioned in Saxon documents in 659.

Bertha Stewart Watson, 82, has lived in the village for all but three years of her life.

She said: "In Aldingbourne, we had a bishop's palace before the cathedral in Chichester. Now there is only the site of the keep of the palace."

The lord of the manor is different to the title Lord Aldingbourne, a life peerage awarded to former Daily Mirror editor Hugh Cudlipp.

He became Fleet Street's youngest editor at the age of 24 when he was appointed editor of the Sunday Pictorial, later the Sunday Mirror. He died five years ago at home in Chichester.

The life peer was not afforded the sporting rights which go to the lord of the manor.

Mrs Stewart Watson said: "There were two manor houses in the village and my father collected the last of the rents for one of the lords of the manor."

In 1988, the London Evening Standard caused an outrage in Brighton when it bought the title Lord of the Manor of Brighton for £50,000 and gave it away in a competition. Councillors called it a "disgrace" which degraded the resort. It was later reauctioned and bought by Mr Eubank.

The auction will be at Ironmongers' Hall, Barbican, London, on November 26. Catalogues at £20 can be bought by calling 01245 258201.