Hanc donationem praedictis monachis in puram et perpetuam eleemosinam liberam ab omni servitio in perpetuum possidendam confirmavi.
As the above example makes clear it was a freehold tenure as it was held in perpetual possession, which is equivalent to "hereditable" in secular terms.
The gift of land or other property made over to God and to a patron Saint was inalienable, and the relationship between the grantor and the religious house was subsidiary.
Legal cases became so complicated that the Assize of Utrum was established in the middle of the 12th century to adjudicate claims.
[5] As a form of donation, frankalmoin fell into disuse because on any alienation of the land the tenure was converted into socage.