The courts of the Vice-Warden of the Stannaries, commonly known as the stannary courts, were English courts in

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

and

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

that enforced the stannary law between the

High Middle Ages The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history that lasted from AD 1000 to 1300. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended ...

and their abolition by the

Stannaries Court (Abolition) Act 1896 Stannary law (derived from the la, stannum for tin) is the body of English law that governs tin mining in Devon and Cornwall; although no longer of much practical relevance, the stannary law remains part of the law of the United Kingdom and i ...

. From 1201, tin miners in Devon and Cornwall were exempt from the jurisdiction of all English courts other than that of the Vice-Warden of the Stannaries. The jurisdiction of the Cornwall stannary institutions covered the whole of the duchy, while the stannary courts of Devon had a reputation for harsh justice, and once jailed a Westminster MP ( Richard Strode). According to Thomas Pitt, judgements from the court could be appealed to the Vice-Warden of the Stanneries, then to the Warden, then finally to the Prince in Council.

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