The UK has had more than its fair share of unusual laws throughout its history. It’s hard to believe some of the laws that were enforced in the past, and it’s even harder to believe that a number of them are still in effect today. Below we take a look a few of the strangest laws that are still around.<\/p>\n
It is an offence to be drunk and in charge of a cow<\/strong><\/p>\n The Licensing Act 1872 forbids people from being drunk while in charge on any highway or other public place of any carriage, horse, cattle, or steam engine. <\/em>Sensibly, the act also prohibits people from being drunk when in possession of any loaded fire-arms.<\/em><\/p>\n Offenders face a hefty fine or imprisonment for a maximum of one month. If a fine was issued and not paid, then\u00a0the court may order him to be imprisoned with hard labour.<\/em>\u00a0Probably best to leave your cow or steam engine at home if you are going for a night out.<\/p>\n Handling a salmon in suspicious circumstances<\/strong><\/p>\n This may sound like it is an ancient and forgotten archaic law, but it is actually a fairly recent law under the Salmon Act 1986. It is there to prevent the selling of fish gained through illicit means, such as poaching. The Salmon Act (Scotland) 1862 makes it illegal to fish for salmon and sea trout on a Sunday in Scotland. Traditionally, this rule included all fishing, as puritan beliefs banned any Sunday recreation on God\u2019s day of rest, but was confirmed by the Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act of 1862 banning the practice in modern law.<\/p>\n It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing armour<\/strong><\/p>\n The 1313 act, \u201cA Statute forbidding Bearing of Armour\u201d states: <i>that every Man shall come without all Force and Armour, well and peaceably, to the Honour of Us, and the Peace of Us and our Realm<\/em>.<\/i>\u00a0 The Act was written in Anglo-Norman during the reign of Edward II and is still in force today, some 705 years later.<\/p>\n No Fun and Games At All<\/strong><\/p>\n The Metropolitan Police Act 1839 prohibits a long list of nuisance behaviours that would incur fines, including:<\/strong><\/p>\n “Every person who shall wilfully and wantonly disturb any inhabitant by pulling or ringing any door-bell or knocking at any door without lawful excuse, or who shall wilfully and unlawfully extinguish the light of any lamp.<\/em><\/p>\n “Every person who shall fly any kite or play at any game to the annoyance of the inhabitants or passengers, or who shall make or use any slide upon ice or snow in any street or other thoroughfare, to the common danger of the passengers.<\/em><\/p>\n “Every person who shall turn loose any horse or cattle, or suffer to be at large any unmuzzled ferocious dog, or set on or urge any dog or other animal to attack, worry, or put in fear any person, horse, or other animal.<\/em><\/p>\n “Every person who shall, to the annoyance of the inhabitants or passengers expose for show or sale (except in a market lawfully appointed for that purpose) or feed or fodder any horse or other animal, or show any caravan containing any animal or any other show or public entertainment, or shoe, bleed; or farry any horse or animal (except in cases of accident), or clean, dress, exercise, train, or break any horse or animal, or clean, make, or repair any part of any cart or carriage, except in cases of accident where repair on the spot is necessary.<\/em><\/p>\n “Every person who shall roll or carry any cask, tub, hoop, or wheel, or any ladder, plank, pole, showboard, or placard, upon any footway, except for the purpose of loading or unloading any cart or carriage, or of crossing the footway.<\/em><\/p>\n “Every person who in any thoroughfare shall burn, dress, or cleanse any cork, or hoop, cleanse, fire, wash, or scald any cask or tub, or hew, saw, bore, or cut any timber or stone, or slack, sift, or screen any lime.”<\/em><\/p>\n Don\u2019t Bet on Using Abusive Language in a Library<\/strong><\/p>\n In a library in England, it is illegal to gamble or bet, use violent, abusive or obscene language or behave in a disorderly manner to the annoyance or disturbance of any other person also using the library, under section 2 of the Libraries Offences Act 1898. Anyone convicted of such an offence will be fined a penalty \u201cnot exceeding forty shillings\u201d \u2013 the average wage of the time was a mere 14 shillings, 1 1\/2 pence.<\/p>\n Monarchs enjoy a Whale of a time<\/strong><\/p>\n All whales and sturgeons found in the United Kingdom belong to the Crown. Prerogativa Regis 1322 states: <i>\u201cThe King shall have throughout the realm, whales and great sturgeons taken in the sea or elsewhere within the realm, except in certain places privileged by the King.\u201d<\/em><\/i><\/p>\n This also included any that were stranded or found dead on a beach that was not exempt from this ruling (for example, private land). Any found whales and sturgeons should first be offered to the Monarch who could then decide what should be done with them. Usually, that decision was passed to the \u201cReceiver of Wreck\u201d to resolve on his or her behalf. In practice, the Receiver of Wreck no longer offers the whale but does still offer all sturgeons to the Monarch.<\/p>\n If you are Scottish, it\u2019s best to avoid visiting Carlisle<\/strong><\/p>\n In Carlisle, any Scot found wandering around may be whipped or jailed. This probably dates back to 1157, when King Malcolm IV of Scotland surrendered his lands granted to the Scots in 1136 following the Scots invasion of Cumbria led by King David I. In the period directly after this, many Cumbrian castles were fortified as a precaution, so it seems likely that this law is linked to the 12th century battles.<\/p>\n