During the Middle Ages in countries such as England, the church acquired a substantial amount of real estate. As the church and religious orders were each recognised as a legal person separate from the office holder who administered the church land (such as the abbot or the bishop), the land would not escheat on the death of the holder, or pass by inheritance, as the church and the religious orders would not die. The land was held in perpetuity. This was in contrast to feudal practice in which the nobility would hold land granted by the king in return for service, especially service in war.