Postby Ranger Smith » Tue Jul 13, 2010 1:04 am
Ok here goes
Forests were and are indeed areas of mixed habitats including but not exclusivley woodland, heathland, moor and other open land. They could include planned countryside (farmed) but the one overiding condition was that they were governed by Forest Law (the courts were known as forest eyres) and were predominantly owned and managed for the benifit of nobility or gentry (depending on time period). Forests in the main had formalised bounderies although these may not be solid bounderies i.e. fences/walls
Parks were enclosed traditionaly ditched/hedged and/or fenced formaly managed areas. The game within was formaly stocked and managed (deer and Boar(after1297))
Chases are unenclosed hunting grounds
Warrens enclosed areas predominantly for Rabbit (although in earlier periods other animals were concidered as beasts of the warren e.g. fox) especialy in later periods. Free Warren could be granted to men of a lesser status (although still rich and land holders) to hunt fox, badger, squirrel, martin and otter. during the later medieval period the right of free warren was extended to include those of a lower class.
Coneygers- similar to warrens (earlier name (for rabbits))
Chases and Parks were subject to common law courts killing a heart would attract a fine of £10 in 1470
Warreners were paid £5 per annum and foresters 3d per day (1470)
notable trespassers were sir william stonor who tresspassed on to Queen Elizabeth Woodvilles forest and chase at Barnwood and the Earl of Darby who was prossicuted for slaying over 2000 of the kings deer over a 6 year period.
Pheasants are a difficult one as they do not appear verry often. There were two limited introductions (one by the romans one by the normans). It isnt untill its mass introduction in the 1700's that it appears as a regularly hunted game bird. during the medieval period it was common accross much of france (the same as the rabbit) Red (or common) Partridge would have been a more common game bird in england.
Found a reference for two small rabbit colonies (wild outside a warren in East Anglia) which were incorperated into the protection/ laws governing the near by (parent) warren in 1297 (notable as it was an unusual occurence)
The animals hunted (beasts of the chase) were devided into Noble or vernery (venison (at this time the term is not reserved for deer)) and other beasts of the chase.
Noble or vernery beasts were (this just means they provided suitable sport for the gentry)
Red deer Stag (5years old) heart (10 years old) wolf wild boar hare and bear (europe only)
other beasts of the chase
Fallow buck/doe read deer hind fox and martin
Beasts of the warren
Rabbits and the aforementioned (free warren species)
All the above were owned by royalty or rich land owners including the church.
Poking Badgers with spoons since 1471
