What are the commons?

Common land is any land registered as having common rights attached to it under the 1965 Commons Registration Act. You can see a full map of commons here. Common land has existed since before the Norman Conquest, and now covers 3% of England and Wales - more than Greater London and Essex put together!

Who owns the commons?

They are actually owned mostly by private landowners, though some are owned by public bodies or NGOs. However, commoners have rights to the land that are counted as property rights, and therefore the landowner can’t do anything to the land without the agreement of the commoners.

What are commoners rights?

Commoners rights are rights that someone can hold over a piece of land, without actually owning the land. The most prevalent right used today is that of grazing, which is why many commons have sheep and cattle on them. However, there are still a lot of other common rights that don’t get used as much - such as feeding pigs on acorns, gathering firewood and extracting clay or peat.

What rights do I have over a common?

Unless you a rights-holder or a landowner, unfortunately none. Not very common, hey? That’s what we are trying to change - to make common land for the common good again.

What state is nature in on the commons?

Unfortunately we lack a lot of data on this. However, many of our Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are on commons, and it doesn’t look good. Nationally only 37% of SSSIs are in favourable condition. This is even worse on the commons of Dartmoor, where the data shows that no SSSIs are in favourable condition, despite £1.4 million a year being spent on it. However, there are some where nature and humans are thriving - such as in the New Forest. 

What could the commons do for me?

This is an alternative way of accessing and connecting to land. So much of England and Wales’ land is cut off from us, either to access or make decisions about. If we can expand the commons and make them truly common again by expanding rights and responsibilities to more people, then we can face the challenges of this time together. We can rebuild community, access food, have spaces to be social and for social prescribing, combat the climate crises and stop the collapse of the natural world.

How can I get involved?

We are looking for people that want to make change for the commons, and for the common good. Please email us at hello@campaignforcommons.org with a bit about yourself, and join the movement!