The Charter of the Forest

Issued in 1217, the Charter of the Forest was a significant piece of legislation that expanded on the forest-related clauses of the Magna Carta.

It reduced the amount of land designated as royal forest, reinstated the forest's status as common land, and introduced reforms such as the abolition of the death penalty for forest offenses and the establishment of 'regarders' to ensure fair enforcement of forest law.

This charter marked a pivotal shift in England's history by transferring power from the king to the common people and contributing to the evolution of English legal and constitutional history.