1) To describe a place as a manor was immediately to give it a certain status, and people might hesitate before doing that.
1560 John Cotes doth depose that he knowithe one hall neare unto Ledes … but whether it be a mannor or not he knowyth not. The manor house was a ‘capital messuage’, that is the large and important house where the lord of the manor lived and where much of the business of the manor was carried on. It was a term that took a long time to stabilise: 1443 that Jonett my wife have my chefe maner place, Sheriff Hutton
1448 Grant by John Gomersall to … his son … of his cheyf plase or Hedplase, Gomersal
1532 my maner plase or hedhouse, Car Colston
1533 the maner place of Calton called Calton Hall. The continuing use of such aliases through Elizabeth’s reign is a reflection of how unsure people were about the ‘correct usage’: 1564 lyenge on the east syde of the hall and chappell of the scyte of the manor, or manor-place, or manor house of Manstone
1566 all that their manor or haule place called Baihalle, Huddersfield
1587 one capital mesuage or mansyon place callid Castelhall, Mirfield.