ABSTRACT
First, to put the use of rural land into its historical context, it is important to realise that the use of rural land has always been tied into property rights.1 Before the Norman Conquest, other invaders (for example, the Romans) had not bothered to take control of the land. However, the men that William the Conqueror brought with him to England were skilled and expected to be rewarded for their services. William immediately put England under the heel of a land owning class of knights and claimed all the land for the monarchy. After this, any land would only be owned with permission from the King. William also left the legacy that this group of landowners would enjoy a privileged status and a passion for hunting. Forests did have some protection during this time, until the 14th century, when the Crown saw them as a way of raising money. Before then, the royal forests had covered one-quarter of England. By 1330, the area of royal forest had shrunk to two-thirds of what it had been in 1250.
