Cattle Grazing on Wimbledon Common

Area	Wimbledon Village
Picture Reference	Wim_20_5-67
Original Format	Postcard
Notes / History	During the 15th and 16th centuries, grazing rights were hotly contested, particularly during periods of economic decline linked to poor harvests, bad weather, or conflict. In spite of manorial Court rulings, there were frequent attempts to exploit the Common, with repeat offenders testing the system to its limits. Records surviving from the 1460s illustrate this point. For instance, John Veisy not only grazed an excessive number of animals, he failed to ring his pigs and also exceeded his allowance of wood!