Irene Preston's Historical Writing
FORESTRY LAWS
At the time of the Conquest great tracts of
forest-land still stretched across England. Royalty and the nobility
loved to hunt. The area of the hunt was called the Chase and the claws
of the dogs were removed to protect the deer from attack. William
created a new forest and it has always been referred to as The New
Forest.
All the forests were subject to forest law, as opposed to common law,
under the legislation of the king and its purpose was the preservation
of the vegetation, and venison for the king's table. Punishments were
very severe against law-breakers and often resulted in death.
Future kings realised they could reap a lot of money through
fines and the confiscation of goods and land.
A medieval forest was not confined to a wooded area and ever
larger areas were brought under the forest's jurisdiction. By the
end of the 12th century it applied to a third of England. Landowners
were hemmed in by restrictions on the exploitation of their lands.
This was one of the many grievances held by the barons who
revolted in 1215 and forced King John to sign the Magna Charta,
giving protection to all free men. It was not all plain sailing and
in 1217 a separate document was taken from the Magna Charta
known as The Charta of the Forest.
To raise money quickly both King Richard and King John sold
licences for deforestation.
It was in 1297 during the reign of Edward I that Magna Charta
became part of the law of the land.
By the time Edward III came to the throne in 1327 revenues and
political issues of the forest were no longer important as a
source of revenue.
By the 1330s tax revenue was seen as a regular income.