During the late 10th to early 11th century AD, Vikings settled on the island. The name Skokholm is Norse for “wooded island.” From the 14th to 16th centuries, it was used as a rabbit farm and many descendants of these rabbits still live on the island today. Paul Murphy’s article “
Medieval Rabbit Farming and Bannow Island ” details the importance of rabbits in medieval societies: “Rabbit fur, being soft, durable, and warm, was a desirable material for lining clothing, and their meat was elite eating, as well.”
It was common for medieval societies to breed and raise rabbits on islands, as the location offered isolation and thus protection from mainland predators. Multiple islands in this region have a history of Norman rabbit farming during the medieval period .