The English Peasantry and the Enclosure of Common FieldsSlater, Gilbert
History
The English Peasantry and the Enclosure of Common Fields
Slater, Gilbert
Agriculture -- England; Inclosures; Peasants -- England; Village communities -- Great Britain
A good deal of non-Parliamentary enclosure took place during the
nineteenth century. Thomas Stone, the Board of Agriculture reporter,
estimates that there were in 1793, 200,000 acres of commons, wastes,
and unimbanked salt marshes, and 268,000 acres of common fields. He
over-estimates the total area of the county so much, that to rectify
his figures we have to deduct 10 per cent.--this leaves 421,000 acres
of common fields and other commonable lands. There have been enclosed
by Parliamentary action since 207,659 acres by Acts for enclosing
common-field parishes, and about 74,000 acres by Acts for enclosing
other commonable lands; if we suppose there are 12,000 acres of
common fields and commons surviving, this accounts for 293,659 acres,
and leaves about 127,000 acres unaccounted for--_i.e._, enclosed by
non-Parliamentary process during the nineteenth century.
If the same proportion between the scope of the two methods be
supposed to have held good during the earlier part of the period of
Parliamentary enclosure, it would follow that at the beginning of that
period (1730) Lincolnshire was about half enclosed and half open.
From the references to Lincolnshire by our tourists, one would expect
to find a less degree of enclosure. Arthur Young, in 1768, that is,
after fifty-three Enclosure Acts for Lincolnshire had been passed,
found the country from Stamford to Grimsthorpe mostly open (“Northern
Tour,” p. 77), from Grimsthorpe to Colsterworth chiefly open,
Colsterworth to Grantham, enclosed on the right hand, open on the left
(p. 84), and from Grantham to Newark all open (p. 94). Celia Fiennes,
about 1695, following the same road, found no enclosures but a “fine
champion country.” Leland gives the same testimony.
By comparing Celia Fiennes with Arthur Young, we have evidence of
enclosure proceeding in the south-west of Lincolnshire between 1695 and
1768, which is partly, but not entirely, accounted for by Parliamentary
enclosure. The three descriptions give the impression that up to the
beginning of Parliamentary enclosure Lincolnshire was much less than
half enclosed. It is, however, not difficult to reconcile this with the
conclusion inferred from Thomas Stone’s statement and the Enclosure
Acts; for none of the three travellers touched more than the western
part of the county. No doubt the eastern part was earlier enclosed.
This is, indeed, indicated by the distribution of Parliamentary
enclosure, as shown by the map.
THE EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account