Methods of Enclosure

During the later 1770s, the number of enclosures in Britain increased because they made it easier for farmers to try out new farming techniques. Farmers could now invest in new machinery for use on their land, work in one area and not waste time walking between strips of land. The enclosed land was also useful for farmers wanting to experiment with selective breeding and new crops from abroad.

There were two ways for villages to enclose land. One was by getting the whole village to agree among themselves, which was more common during the early 18th century.

Illustration of villagers meeting to discuss enclosures

The second was by an Act of Parliament. By 1770, landowners were forcing enclosure on their local village by using an Act of Parliament. So how did Parliamentary enclosures take place?

• A village meeting was held and the owners of three quarters of the village's land had to agree to enclosure. In many cases, the Lord of the Manor and his friends owned three quarters of the land.
• A petition was drawn up by landowners asking Parliament to pass an act enclosing local land.
• A notice about the petition was placed on the village church door.
• Parliament considered the petition and then passed an Enclosure Act and sent three commissioners to supervise the enclosure and decide who had the right to land in the village.
• The commissioners then drew up a new map of the enclosed fields.

People who owned land benefited from enclosing it, but not everyone in the British farming community was happy.