Free warren facts for kids

A free warren was a special permission given by a king or a powerful lord in medieval England. It allowed someone to hunt certain animals, called 'game', on a specific piece of land without getting into trouble. Usually, this land was a wood or a small forest. This special right was a kind of privilege that only the king or a very important lord could grant.

What Was a Free Warren?

A free warren was a special hunting right. It meant that the person who received this right could hunt certain animals on their land. They were protected from being accused of breaking the law, even though all wild animals technically belonged to the king. This right was often given as a gift or in exchange for something valuable. The land where the hunting was allowed could be part of the person's own property, or it could be a separate area.

How the Law Worked

Even though the right to a free warren came from the king, the rules for hunting within it were based on common law. This was different from the strict rules of the king's own forests. If someone hunted illegally in a free warren (this was called poaching), they were treated as if they had committed common crimes like theft or trespass. They weren't punished under the harsher forest laws.

The person who had the free warren had a special job. They were allowed to hunt, but they also had to protect the animals on their land from other hunters. It was like a deal: the king gave them permission, and they made sure the animals were looked after.

Free Warrens and Domestic Warrens

The term 'free warren' first described this legal hunting right. But over time, the word 'warren' also started to mean the land where these animals lived, or even the group of animals themselves.

People who didn't have a 'free warren' right sometimes built enclosed areas to raise animals like rabbits. These were called "closed warrens" or domestic warrens. Eventually, these places were also just called "warrens." By the 1600s, the word 'warren' even started to mean a crowded place where many people lived, like a busy neighborhood.

Warren and Warden

The word 'warren' comes from an old word meaning "to take care of" or "to protect." The person in charge of a warren was called a warden. This was similar to the warden of a king's forest, who was often a powerful knight in charge of a castle. Over time, a less important title, warrener, was used for the person who looked after a free warren.

Warren and Warrant

The word 'free' in 'free warren' didn't mean the land was open or unfenced. Instead, it meant the hunting right came from a warrant from the king. A warrant was like a special permission or guarantee from the king. It meant that the person acting on the warrant wouldn't get into legal trouble.

For example, in 1184, King Henry II made rules for his forests. One rule said that no one could have bows, arrows, or hunting dogs in his forests unless they had a warrant from the king or someone else who could give them permission. This shows how important a "warrant" was for legal actions back then.

Animals of the Warren

The special permission to hunt in a free warren was only for certain types of animals. Animals considered 'vermin' (like predators or animals not good for eating) were usually not protected. However, this could change if an animal was considered good for sport, like foxes or badgers. Generally, only the person with the free warren could hunt with tools like bows or dogs on that land.

Common Warren Animals

One famous writer about forest law, John Manwood, listed the main animals of a warren as:

• The hare
• The cony (which is an old word for rabbit)
• The pheasant
• The partridge

However, Manwood was not completely right. For example, the roe deer was also considered a "beast of warren" from the 1300s onwards. You can still find woodlands in England named "Warren" today where roe deer live. Other animals sometimes added to the list include woodcock, quail, rail, and heron. However, grouse were not considered birds of warren. Sometimes, animals like foxes, wolves, cats, badgers, and squirrels were also included.