Some of the more important forest counties were Essex (the entire county), Hampshire (New Forest and others), Northamptonshire (Rockingham, Salcey and Whittlewood), Nottinghamshire (Sherwood), Wiltshire (numerous) and Yorkshire (Galtres and Pickering). By 1189, between one third and one quarter of England was considered by the king as within the bounds of the royal forest 8 and some twenty-nine counties were affected to a greater or lesser degree. In addition to this development of the forest administration Henry II’s reign saw a vast increase in the total area of the forest. A regard, yielding significant financial returns, was undertaken as early as 1155 7 and by the mid 1160s the framework that would survive into the next century and beyond was well established. 6 It was, however, only a short-lived setback. were now molested in every quarter, scattered by chance-comer and fearlessly struck down by all’.

which before had been most scrupulously preserved in the whole kingdom. The development of the royal forest was interrupted by the upheaval of Stephen’s reign, when ‘wild animals. It would not be until the second half of the twelfth century that the unique financial potential of the forest began to be exploited systematically, but the change in emphasis had begun. 5 The forest was already becoming more than simply a royal game preserve. The efforts of the justices were concentrated in the south of England, although the forest of the bishopric of Chester was visited and pleas were heard in Gloucestershire and Huntingdonshire. The 1130 pipe roll records revenue that is clearly derived from a general forest visitation. As far as the organization and administration of the royal forest is concerned the single surviving pipe roll from the reign of Henry I is invaluable. 4 It had clearly expanded to embrace more than the royal demesne. That new land was added to the forest is apparent from Stephen’s charter of 1136, which promised to return acreage added to its extent by his predecessor. The evidence is far from clear, but the reign of Henry I seems to have witnessed a development both in the extent and organization of the royal forest. On account of this, in the woodlands reserved for hunting, which he called the “New Forest”, he had villages rooted out and people removed, and made it a habitation for wild beasts’. In a similar vein Henry of Huntingdon recorded that ‘he loved the beasts of the chase as if he were their father. The compiler of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle noted that William. William the Conqueror and his sons were notorious in their devotion to hunting. At this stage it seems likely that the protection of hunting rights was still of paramount importance.

In Normandy the strict preservation of game was confined to the ducal demesne, but the conquest of England offered a unique opportunity to extend the sphere of influence. This changed with the arrival of William the Conqueror. 1 It was not a function of kingship, rather the prerogative of the landed. By Jane Winters, Institute of Historical Researchīefore the Conquest the kings of England enjoyed the right to hunt freely on their own lands, but in this they did not differ significantly from any other landowner.

Piperoll level 60