Enclosure Acts Of The 18Th Century.

[Sellergarth]

I have read that these Acts more or less forced the smaller landowner to sell to his land to the wealthier landowner. How? (I`ve probably not grasped something obvious here but any explanation would be most welcome. Thanks)

[Baldric]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclosure_Acts

[ABerrant]

When common land was divided up into enclosures the immediate losers were those users of the land with no legal rights and thus no claim of compensation in the form of their own enclosure. They became landless and would thus seek to be employed by working the land for wealthier landowners.

It was also often the case that those with land rights who did receive compensatory smallholdings encountered a threefold disability:

1. the amount of land they were allocated was so small, though in strict legal proportion to the amount of their claim, that it was of little use;

2. the considerable legal, surveying, hedging and fencing costs of enclosure were disproportionate for smaller holdings;

3. under the Poor Laws, the taxes of the small landowner who worked his own land went to subsidize the labour costs of the large farmers who employed the landless at poverty level wages;

which may have necessitated the disposal of a white elephant smallholding to the wealthier landowner.

'A Short History of Enclosure in Britain' covers this and more quite well...
http://www.thelandmagazine.org.uk/articles/short-history-enclosure-britain

[Elina]

That link looks interesting ABerrant, Ill save and read that later.

[sandyRoe]

The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose off the common
But leaves the greater villain loose
Who steals the common from the goose.


The law demands that we atone
When we take things we do not own
But leaves the lords and ladies fine
Who takes things that are yours and mine.


The poor and wretched don’t escape
If they conspire the law to break;
This must be so but they endure
Those who conspire to make the law.


The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common
And geese will still a common lack
Till they go and steal it back.

[Elina]

How brilliant sandy!

[Sellergarth]

Many thanks to all for clarifying things, it`s appreciated. sandyRoe, I echo Elina`s comments.

[frugalfred]

You might be interested in the Commons Registration Act 1968. I live near several commons and some of the local residents have "stints" - the no. of stock they are allowed to run. These stints date back to the Enclosure Acts.
They can also cut turf and gather gorse.
Often the land given to common use ("waste of the manor") was the poorest land.

[Baldric]

Lot of history there Sandy

http://www.onthecommons.org/magazine/%E2%80%9Cstealing-common-goose%E2%80%9D

[frugalfred]

^^1965

[Baldric]

^^^
This 17th Century folk poem is one of the pithiest condemnations of the English enclosure movement