Land or resources used by members of a community according to customary rights.
Common refers to land or resources over which certain people had customary rights of use.
Common rights could include grazing animals, collecting fuel, taking wood, cutting turf or using other resources belonging to the manor.
The use of common land was usually controlled by local custom, and manorial courts often dealt with disputes concerning rights of access and overuse.
Common rights were an important part of rural life because they allowed tenants to make use of resources beyond their own individual holdings.
See also:
Common Rights
Pasture
Waste
Estovers
