What is common land?
Q: What is common land?
A: Common land is land where local people have certain rights, such as grazing livestock, collecting firewood or cutting turf for fuel.
Q: What was the common originally used for in mediaeval England?
A: Originally, the common was part of the manor and tenants had certain rights to it.
Q: Who owned the common in mediaeval England?
A: Although the common was part of the estate owned by the lord of the manor, tenants had certain rights to it.
Q: How has the term "commons" extended over time?
A: By extension, the term "commons" has come to be applied to other resources which a community has rights or access to.
Q: What is the term "common" mainly used for today?
A: Today, the term "common" is mainly used for the land over which certain rights are exercised.
Q: What is a commoner?
A: A person who has a right to common land is a commoner.
Q: Do commons still exist today?
A: Yes, commons still exist today in Great Britain and the United States, although their extent is much reduced from the millions of acres that existed in the 17th century.
