Wayback Wednesday: Charter of the Forest 1217
Eight hundred, two years ago, today, the Charter of the Forest (Carta Foresta) was declared and sealed by young King Henry III (a nine year old boy under the regency of William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke I). Issued at St. Paul’s Cathedral, it evolved out of the Magna Carta and re-examined Forest Law.
William the Conqueror established the system of Norman law, proclaiming forests as ‘preserves’, restricting hunting and use by local inhabitants not of the monarchy or aristocracy. Grasslands and wetlands were included, as well as villages and towns that resided within. His heirs continued to enforce the laws. King Richard I and King John extended the forests, taking larger and larger areas, eventually covering one third of southern England.
This charter re-established free men rights of access, alleviating the hardship on the common people to farm, hunt, forage and generally use, and tend to, the land they lived on. It was reissued in 1225 with wording changes and then joined with the Magna Carta in the Confirmation of Charters (Confirmatio Cartarum) in 1297 by King Edward I.
Storytelling for Kids (cute)
November 7, 2019 at 11:22 AM
I’m pretty sure my family (of way-back-then) rejoiced to finally get some freedoms to actually use the land they lived on! 🙂
November 7, 2019 at 2:01 PM
Mine, too. Have you done any ancestry research?
November 7, 2019 at 8:59 PM
Yes…48 years of research…a loved hobby of mine. You?
November 7, 2019 at 6:51 PM
Oh, MY! How cool! I have thought about it and I am fascinated. I am a history nut so, it appeals to me. Do you use Ancestry or another service?
Forty eight years…just…WOW. 😲😱🤯
November 8, 2019 at 11:54 AM
Ancestry. It’s expensive but my go to.
November 8, 2019 at 2:24 PM
How expensive?
November 8, 2019 at 5:57 PM
For USA research $99 a year.
November 9, 2019 at 2:45 AM
Hm. Sounds like what I shell out for WP.
November 9, 2019 at 5:07 PM
Yes.