The History of the Swannery

Benedictine Monks

The Benedictine Monastery of St Peter was founded at Abbotsbury in the 11th century (around 1040) by Orc, a steward of King Cnut. In order to be self-sufficient as most medieval monasteries were, crops were grown, fish were caught and the monks also farmed the swans of the Fleet lagoon. The earliest written record of a Swanherd dates back to 1393 when William Squillor ‘Keeper of Swans’ was mentioned in the court rolls.

Strangways Family

The Swannery was utilised by monks until the monastery was dissolved in 1539. Sir Giles Strangways was appointed Commissioner by Henry VIII to help administer the surrender of the monasteries. Four years later in 1543 he bought the Manor of Abbotsbury, more than 2000 acres of land, two mills and the Swannery. The Strangways family were also granted privilege to lay claim to all swans that hatched at Abbotsbury.

The ownership of the swans was signified by a small nick in the web of the foot, this was later named the Hive of Ilchester swan mark after Stephen Fox-Strangways became the Earl of Ilchester in 1756. In 1591 Queen Elizabeth I claimed ownership of 410 swans and 90 cygnets that had not been marked by the appointed Swanherd. Dorset’s High Sheriff was dispatched to claim the birds for the Crown. This remains the earliest recorded count of the nesting swans at Abbotsbury.

For All Generations

All fifteen generations that succeeded Sir Giles Strangways honoured their responsibility towards the entire domain and continued to assign ‘Swanherds’ to manage the ‘Game of Swans’ and their environment. To this day, the Swannery and the swans remain under the ownership of the same family but today ownership is signified by a specially engraved metal ring. It is a tribute to the family’s management and care that the Swannery exists in its present form.

Crown Birds

In addition to the metal ring the swans are also given a plastic ring. A white plastic ring signifies that the swan hatched at Abbotsbury, whilst a yellow ring indicates the swan hatched elsewhere and can be claimed by the Crown (known as ‘Crown Prerogative’). Other than the Crown and Abbotsbury there are three other instances of private ownership of swans. Two ancient City of London livery companies, the Worshipful Company of Vintners and the Worshipful Company of Dyers, have ownership rights on a stretch of the River Thames. In addition, the Mayor of Maidstone has ownership rights on the River Medway.  Other than these exceptions, all unmarked Mute Swans in England are the prerogative of the Crown.