3.3.3 Royal Forests and the Forest Law

What did the Normans use royal forests for primarily

Hunting, rather than agriculture

How did the Norman approach to hunting differ from that of Anglo-Saxon kings

The Normans made hunting a central royal privilege and converted vast land areas into royal forests

Which areas were turned into royal forests by the Normans

Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset and Essex

What famous royal forests were established by the Normans

Sherwood Forest and the New Forest

How many people were displaced to create the New Forest

Around 2,000 people from 20 villages

What made life difficult for people living inside royal forests

They were subject to harsh forest laws that restricted farming, grazing and collecting wood

What legal system governed those living in royal forests

A separate and severe forest law system

Could non-royals hunt on their own land within a royal forest

No, hunting was prohibited for all except royalty

Why were royal forests a symbol of Norman oppression

Because it prioritised royal leisure over people’s homes and livelihoods, and imposed harsh laws