What is common land?

Common land is land, usually in private ownership, that has rights of common over it.

The main features of common land are that it is generally open, unfenced and remote - particularly in the upland areas of England and Wales. However, there are some lowland areas of common, particularly in the south-east of England, that are important for recreational use.

Rights of common can include:

• Grazing sheep or cattle (herbage)
• Taking peat or turf (turbary)
• Taking wood, gorse or furze (estovers)
• Taking of fish (piscary)
• Eating of acorns or beechmast by pigs (pannage)

For further information

Please refer to either the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs or Opens Spaces Society websites (see useful links).