Chief Butler of England


The Chief Butler of England is an office of Grand Sergeanty associated with the feudal Manor of Kenninghall in Norfolk. The office requires service to be provided to the Monarch at the Coronation, in this case the service of Pincera Regis, or Chief Butler at the Coronation banquet.
The manor of Kenninghall was given by Henry I to William de Albini, and was later inherited by the Dukes of Norfolk. It was sold in 1872 to John Oddin Taylor of Norwich.
The last occasion on which a coronation banquet was considered was in 1902 for Edward VII, but plans were abandoned as a result of his illness. Three people claimed the right to act as Chief Butler at the Court of Claims that preceded the coronation - the Duke of Norfolk, Mr Taylor of Kenninghall and a descendant of William de Albini, but the claims were not considered and no decision was taken.

List of Chief Butlers

Note that the right to act as Chief Butler has not been established by the Court of Claims since before 1902
$ Cited in Patent Rolls from 1396 to 1399.