What is a royal forest?
Q: What is a royal forest?
A: A royal forest is an area of land that was once owned by monarchs and used for hunting. It usually includes large areas of heath, grassland and wetland to support deer and other game.
Q: When did the concept of royal forests first appear?
A: The concept of royal forests was introduced by the Normans to England in the 11th century.
Q: Did Anglo-Saxon kings create forests?
A: Historians find no evidence that Anglo-Saxon kings (c.500 to 1066) created forests.
Q: What animals were protected under Royal law?
A: Under Royal law, no hunting was allowed on Royal lands except by authority of the King, and animals such as red and fallow deer, roe, wild boar were protected.
Q: How much land in southern England was designated as Royal Forest during the 12th century?
A: During the late 12th and early 13th centuries, one-third of the land area of southern England was designated as Royal Forest.
Q: Was anyone punished for committing offences within these forests?
A: Yes, anyone who committed any offence within these forests would be subject to harsh punishment according to forest law - even killing game could be a capital offence.
Q: Were common rights extinguished when an area became a forest?
A: No, while local inhabitants were restricted in their use of land they had previously relied on for their livelihoods, common rights were not extinguished but merely restricted.
