Rabbits shifted from medieval royal luxury to common food after Black Death
Medieval rabbits in England changed from a rare aristocratic gift to common food for the poor following the Black Death between 1346 and 1353.
Early history of rabbits
Archaeologists found a rabbit bone in Roman Britain, though documentary evidence starts with the Norman period. One early record from 1176 shows a landowner withholding tithes because he thought rabbits were not taxable goods. This confusion indicates that rabbits were considered a novelty during the medieval era.
Social change after plague
The Black Death improved living standards for the poor in the years following 1353. Rabbits became commonplace as food sources when the population of commoners increased significantly. Satirical depictions in medieval books reflected this social inversion where luxury items became everyday fare.
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