ANCIENT-LIGHTS DOCTRINE

ancient-lights  doctrine.The  common-law  principle  by  which  a  landowner  acquired,  after  20

years of uninter-rupted use, an easement preventing a neighbor from building an obstruction that

blocks light  from  passing  through  the  landowner’s  window.  • The window  (or  other  opening)  is

termed an ancient light. This doctrine has rarely been applied in the United States. — Also termed

ancient-windows doctrine. [Cases: Easements    11. C.J.S. Easements § 51.]

“[A]  notice  ‘Ancient  Lights,’  which  is  often  seen  affixed  to  the  wall  of  a  building,  only

denotes a claim by or on behalf of the owner that he has acquired, by prescription or otherwise, a

right to a reasonable amount of light, free from interruption, over adjoining land; but it must not

be  supposed  that  such  a  notice  is  necessary  in  order  to  protect  a  legal  right.”  2  Stephen’s

Commentaries on the Laws of England 347 (Crispin Warmington ed., 21st ed. 1950).

“Under  the  English  doctrine  of  ancient  lights,  which  has  been  soundly  repudiated  in  this

country, if a landowner had received sunlight across adjoining property for a specified  period of

time, the landowner was entitled to continue to receive unobstructed access to sunlight across the

adjoining property; the landowner acquired a negative prescriptive easement and could prevent the

adjoining landowner from obstructing access to light.” 1 Am. Jur. 2d Adjoining Landowners § 90,

at 889 (1994). [Blacks Law 8th]