Before the Norman Conquest of the 11th century, Anglo-Saxon cultural relations with wilderness areas were shaped by a complex relationship between human activity and the natural world, a relationship deeply rooted in a pagan worldview. Though the Anglo-Saxons had converted to Christianity between the 6th and 8th centuries, many of their traditions and practices regarding nature were influenced by earlier, pre-Christian beliefs that saw wilderness as a liminal, powerful space. Hunting was an important activity for both sustenance and status, with kings and nobles using it to display their prowess and authority.
During this time, forests were generally open, multifunctional landscapes that served a variety of purposes. They were not strictly wooded areas but included a mix of woodlands, meadows, wetlands, and heathlands. These spaces were not enclosed or heavily managed; instead, they were shared resources that provided timber, firewood, grazing land for livestock, and game for hunting, with the management of these areas being decentralized, overseen by local lords or communities under customary laws. Prominent pre-Norman rulers such as Alfred the Great, Edward the Confessor, and King Æthelstan utilized these areas for sport and feasting.
Wildlife, such as deer and boar, roamed freely, and populations were left to fluctuate naturally, with little human intervention in breeding or conservation. These lands were managed informally under customary rights, with the boundaries of forests loosely defined, often overlapping with agricultural land and settlements. Rights to use these lands were communal, with villagers allowed to collect resources and hunt smaller game, creating a balance between elite hunting activities and local needs.
However, this lack of structured oversight could lead to overuse, overhunting and habitat degradation, especially near population centres. Forests were multipurpose landscapes, tied to practicality rather than sanctity, and access to them was relatively unrestricted. An example of overhunting in Britain can be observed in the decline of certain species like wild boar and aurochs. By the late Anglo-Saxon period, these animals that had once been widespread, had become increasingly rare due to overhunting and habitat loss.
The Norman Conquest of 1066 radically transformed the relationship for both the nobility and commoners with wilderness areas. While both the Anglo-Saxons and Normans were Christian by this time, the Christianization of nature had significantly altered how wilderness was perceived. Christianity recontextualised wilderness areas, transforming them from spaces associated with untamed pagan power to places worthy of moralization and newfound significance.
The Normans introduced a highly regulated and exclusive system, centralizing control over vast tracts of land and designating them as royal forests through Forest Law, which applied not only to woodlands but also to open pastures, heathlands, and even villages. These royal forests were vast and strictly regulated, with clearly defined boundaries that at times required displacing local populations. Examples include the New Forest in Hampshire, created by William the Conqueror in 1079, and Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, expanded under Norman rule. These laws reserved hunting rights for the crown, prohibited farming and woodcutting, and imposed severe penalties for violations, reflecting the Normans’ assertion of power over both the land and its people.
This new system severed many people’s direct relationship with the land, but it also elevated forests to symbols of royal authority and prestige, paralleling practices in the Middle and Far East where wilderness areas were often considered sacred or reserved for elite use. Royal forests were sprawling landscapes managed as hunting reserves, incorporating diverse habitats such as woodlands for cover, open meadows for grazing deer, and wetlands for waterfowl. The New Forest, for example, featured a mix of dense woods and open heathlands, which were ideal for a variety of game species. Epping Forest in Essex and Cannock Chase in Staffordshire also became popular hunting areas for English kings, hosting game such as deer, foxes, and pheasants. Similar to the royal forests, clergy-controlled lands like Beverley Westwood in Yorkshire served similar purposes for ecclesiastical elites. Wilderness spaces such as the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire became iconic royal hunting grounds, while Windsor Great Park and Hatfield Forest emerged as significant deer parks.
The introduction of deer parks — enclosed areas within forests designed for controlled hunting — further emphasized exclusivity. These parks, enclosed with fences or ditches, contained species such as red and fallow deer, which were actively managed to ensure a steady game supply for royal hunts. Exotic animals like rabbits, were also introduced by the Normans in the 12th century, and forest officials such as verderers and wardens were created for the enforcement of strict regulations. These parks were surrounded by high wooden fences or deep ditches, known as park pales, designed to contain game and prevent poaching. Parks like Windsor Great Park and Hatfield Forest were examples of such managed spaces, focused on providing a steady supply of game for royal and noble hunts. To build a fence or wall around a vast portion of land was an immense and expensive operation. The erection of expansive timber walls was extremely taxing on local forests and, once built, required constant management and surveillance.
Pre-Norman kings engaged in hunting as a shared tradition, but the Norman system introduced a structured approach that formalized land use and wildlife management. While this alienated commoners, it also laid the foundation for a new cultural relationship with wilderness, one that viewed these areas as places of power, sanctity, and conservation. The transformation from a pagan view of nature as an untamed and wild force to a Christianised one that sought to control and moralize the wilderness reflects a broader shift in the spiritual and cultural landscape of Britain. This shift balanced practical needs with an emerging reverence for protected landscapes, a legacy still evident in the modern UK through its preserved forests and parks.
WH Martin is a writer, artist, and outdoorsman from southern Quebec. His work delves deeply into historical, mythological and psychological themes, particularly the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world. Drawing inspiration from his experiences in the wild, he explores how ancient myths and modern sensibilities intersect in the human experience of nature. Social media: Instagram – @venatic_opus
Published: 22nd January 2025.
