Turbary facts for kids

Turbary is an old right that allowed people to cut peat (also called turf) from a special area of bog. They used this peat as fuel, like wood, to make fires. The word "turbary" can also mean the bog land itself where the peat is cut. Sometimes, it even means the peat that was taken from the land.

This right, often called "common of turbary," was usually connected to shared land. It could also be a right to use someone else's land for cutting peat.

People used turf a lot for cooking and heating their homes. It was also used for businesses, like drying salt from salty water. Having the right to cut peat was very important in places where firewood was hard to find.

In a place called the New Forest in England, the right to turbary was linked to a specific fireplace and chimney, not just a person or a piece of land.

Why Bogs Are Important

In recent times, we have learned more about how important bog lands are for nature. The amount of peat left has been shrinking. This is partly because people used it for fuel and as fertilizer. Also, some bog lands were drained for farming.

Because of this, some remaining bogs are now protected by environmental laws. This has caused arguments over the old rights of turbary. In some cases, the right to cut peat has been stopped completely to protect the bogs.

Where Turbary Happened

You can find places where turbary was common in Europe. These include the Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Other areas are The Broads in Norfolk and Suffolk, England. The Audomarois marshlands near Saint-Omer, France, also had turbary.

In Ireland, older people still use the word "turbary" in everyday talk. They use it to mean the area where turf is cut. They also use it to describe the peat itself. For example, in County Clare, people might talk about their turbary.

Places Named Turbary

There is a place called Turbary Park in Bournemouth, Dorset. Its name comes from this old word.