Oxfordshire was once rich in woodland such as Wychwood Forest, which covered an area from Woodstock to Witney, Burford and Chipping Norton, and Shotover Forest. These woodlands were owned by the reigning monarch, and only he and favoured retainers held the right to catch any type of animal in the forest.

Venison was salted into barrels and transported to wherever the king was in residence and formed an important part of the royal menu.

In the 13th century over a thousand deer were kept in the royal park of Woodstock, which formed part of Wychwood Forest and, in 1250, 200 does were killed, half of the venison going to Winchester for the Christmas feast and the other half to Westminster for the Feast of St Edward.

Kings also enjoyed hunting deer themselves, and Woodstock Palace was a favourite hunting lodge.

In the Middle Ages, poaching was potentially punishable by death or blinding, with harsh laws decreeing that men could be punished even if they had neglected to clip their dogs' claws, but the presence of deer, wild boar, hares and rabbits was a sore temptation.

In 1413, scholars of Oxford University made such nuisances of themselves poaching that they were prohibited from entering Woodstock Park. It was not only deer which were poached: in 1298 Geoffrey le Stedman was imprisoned in Oxford Castle for poaching in the Woodstock fishpond.

Many tales arose about poaching, particularly from the 19th century, when many agricultural labourers lost some of their income with enclosure, and agricultural wages were very low.

Keepers policed the forest; on one occasion it is said, they found a deer's carcase, skinned and ready for market, and confiscated it, but on their way home stopped for a drink at the Crown Inn at Shipton-under-Wychwood, where the locals distracted them by praising their prowess while the carcass was whisked away.

An Ascott-under-Wychwood man shot a deer and rushed home to get his wife to help him haul it onto the back of his horse so that he could sell it in Banbury. They cut off the buck's head and the wife walked home carrying it on her head. That same evening a young man was poaching for the first time, despite his mother's dire warning that he would see the Evil One. As he crept into the forest he saw a figure with antlers on its head and in his terror was convinced that he had seen the Devil. He fled home in panic and was ill for the next fortnight.

The gamekeepers had to resort to cunning to catch poachers. A noted poacher met a stranger, a rough looking young man setting out snares in an amateurish way while out poaching, so he showed him the best way to set them. Early next morning he decided to empty the snares before the young man got to them. To his dismay the young man now dressed in gamekeeper's uniform, was extracting the game, so he arrested him.

Sometimes the consequences of poaching were fatal. Two men were convicted of murdering a keeper on circumstantial evidence, despite protesting innocence, and hanged at Oxford. Many years later another poacher confessed that he had shot the keeper, mistaking him for a deer.

In the 1840s, large groups of destitute men roamed the countryside, often poaching en route. Lord Dynevore was warned that Black Country men were expected in the area and appealed to Milton poachers to join the keepers in protecting the game. A fight ensued and a man was killed, but in court it was deemed justifiable homicide.

Cunning places were chosen to hide the poached deer such as the small rooms above church porches, secret chambers created inside ricks and false bottoms in carriers' carts. Table tombs such as the ones found in Burford churchyard were also used.

In the 19th century the punishment for transgressors could be transportation, but poachers tried to fight back and produced an anonymous circular which was sent to local gentlemen who would act as magistrates: "TAKE NOTICE. We have lately heard and seen that there is an act passed, and whatever poacher is caught destroying the game is to be transported for seven years. This is English liberty! Now we do swear to each other, that the first of our company that this law is inflicted on, that there shall be not one gentleman's set in our county escape the rage of fire. We are nine in number, and we will burn every gentleman's house of note. The first that impeaches shall be shot. We have sworn not to impeach.

You may think it a threat, but they will find it a reality. The Game Laws were too severe before. The Lord of all men sent these animals for the peasants as well as for the prince. God will not let his people be oppressed. He will assist us in our undertaking, and we will execute it with caution."

Most poachers were poorly paid agricultural labourers or quarrymen so poaching would have supplemented their incomes and fed their families, but that did not help their cause. In 1829, 28 men were sentenced to death for poaching.

Christine Bloxham's book Oxfordshire Folklore, published by Tempus, is now available, priced £14.99