New
New
Year 10
AQA
Changing laws in Norman England: Forest law
I can describe the changes introduced by Forest law and the impact of Forest law on ordinary people.
New
New
Year 10
AQA
Changing laws in Norman England: Forest law
I can describe the changes introduced by Forest law and the impact of Forest law on ordinary people.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Forest law was a new set of laws introduced to England by the Normans.
- William and his successors increased the area classed as forest until a third of England was covered by Forest law.
- Punishments for breaking Forest law could be much more severe than punishments in common law.
- Forest law made life much harder for peasants because they were now banned from using resources they depended on.
- Forest law was resented by ordinary people but also by Norman tenants of the king, since it affected their lands too.
Keywords
Successor - the person who is king or queen after the previous monarch
Tenant - someone who uses land owned by someone else in return for rent or services
Common misconception
That forest in Norman England always meant land covered by trees.
Forest in Norman England meant an area that was reserved for hunting and so could include open land, village land, even towns, as well as woodland.
Students could think about all the different resources that could be caught or gathered from lands around a village that were not used for crops or pasture - such as woodland, hedges, scrubland and heaths.
Teacher tip
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of serious crime
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Complete the sentence: Almost everyone in Norman England for a living.
Q2.
Complete the sentence: are farm animals that are reared for food or used for farming work.
Q3.
Which of the following statements are accurate about peasant children in Norman England?
went to school until 11 years old
started working in the fields when they were 17 years old
Q4.
Which group had up to 100 acres?
villeins
bordars and cottars
Q5.
What did pottage consist of?
fish, seasoning and potatoes
meat, herbs and cheese
bread with bacon and herbs
Q6.
In what ways did the diet of the elites change in Norman England?
They started to eat rye bread as it was quicker to make.
They started to eat pottage as they liked the taste.
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which word describes the person who is king or queen after the previous monarch?
Q2.
Which word describes someone who uses land owned by someone else in return for rent or services?
Q3.
Complete the sentence with the correct fraction: One of England was covered by Forest law during Henry I's reign.
fifth
quarter
Q4.
How much did did the crown receive in Forest law fines in 1130?
£100
£400
£1000
Q5.
Why did Forest law create tension between the Norman kings and the nobility?
They were no longer able to gather essential resources.
They believed that excessive hunting was sinful.
Q6.
Why did Forest law create tension between the Norman kings and the Church?
They were no longer able to gather essential resources.
They were severely punished for breaking it.
Additional material
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