The Physical Settings of Rabbit Warrens in South-West England

Abstract

ABSTRACTIntroduced to Britain in the twelfth century, rabbits were farmed in man-made warrens for their meat and fur for several centuries. It is sometimes assumed that the locations of man-made warrens were dictated by environmental factors, typically that they were built where there was dry, warm soil as rabbits naturally prefer such habitats. This paper, using a landscape archaeological rather than documentary approach, argues that there was much freedom concerning where landowners were able to build rabbit warrens. A key factor in determining where warrens were installed, at least during the medieval period, was not the nature of the local environment, but rather a desire to fulfil social expectations. Similarly, it has been cited that warren numbers flourished during the late medieval and post-medieval periods because they were able to utilise poor-quality marginal lands. While warrens are found on marginal lands, it is equally apparent that they also made greater use of areas that could, and did, support arable farming. The use of such lands for rearing rabbits must have offered economic benefits, and within south-west England it is apparently associated with a greater tendency for pastoral farming over arable farming.