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
Leland, however, is full of information. He came into Berkshire at
Wallingford, and rode thence to Abingdon and to Oxford. The first touch
of description is “About this Sinodune beginneth the fruteful Vale
of White Horse--this Vale is not plentifulle of woodde” (Vol. II.,
fol. 14). This must be compared with Celia Fiennes’ description of
the same Vale, “a rich jnclosed country.” He next proceeded westwards
along the southern side of the Thames. “From this place” (Hinxey hill,
one mile from Oxford) the hilly ground was “meately woody for the
space of a mile, and thens 10 miles al by Chaumpain, and sum Corne,
but most pasture, to Farington.” He crossed the river and entered
Gloucestershire, but turning south entered Wiltshire, and found the
eight miles from Cirencester to Malmesbury “about a Mile on Furse then
al by Champayne Ground, fruteful of corne and Grasse, but very little
wood” (fol. 26). To Chippenham “al the Ground on that side of the Ryver
was Chaumpayne” (fol. 28) but towards Bradford “the countre beginneth
to wax woddy” (fol. 30); and then he went west into Somerset, Devon and
Cornwall. He came back into Dorset from Axmouth, and in the extreme
western part of Dorset gives no distinct description of the state of
enclosure--it is “meately good ground” or “corne, pasture and wood;”
but from Melbury to Frome was “vj miles stille by Champaine ground
on an high rigge” (Vol. III., fol. 47). He came through Weymouth and
Poole, and specified neither enclosure nor champain, till he reaches
the north-west corner of the county; but from Hoston to Cranbourne is
“al by Champain Ground having nother Closure nor Wood,” and all the way
to Salisbury continues “al by Champayne” (fol. 56). Again, “all the
way from Salisbury to Winchester is Champayne,” but from Winchester to
Southampton, while there is “mouch drye feren Ground,” “the most part
of the Ground betwixt is enclosid and reasonably woddyd” (fol. 74).
To Portsmouth enclosure predominated in the cultivated land. There
is “much enclosid and Hethy Ground myxt with Ferne” (fol. 79), and
“the Ground within the Isle of Portsmouth is partely enclosid” (fol.
82). Turning north there was some “playn Ground” before entering Bere
forest, afterwards “enclosid Ground” to Bishops Waltham, and for three
miles beyond; the remaining four to Winchester being “Champain” (fol.
83).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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