Enclosures Act 1812

Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Commons
3. Encroachment
4. Documents concerning enclosure
5. Text of the Act

Introduction

The purposes of this act were to :-

1. Enclose the common lands (Deopham Green, Low Common and the Stalland);
2. Re-organise land portfolios that were split around the village into single farms with all land adjacent;
3. Fence and ditch the resultant holdings.

There was much horse trading and several abortive attempts to reach an agreement before the arrangements of the bill came into effect in 1814. Richard Allen, in the conclusion of his thesis linked below, puts this into the context that lands were being transferred before and after the enclosures so this was just one step in a continuing process. For the farmers who came out of the process with more efficiently consolidated holdings, there were clear benefits. On the other hand, writes Richard, for those of lesser means, the loss of rights to use the common lands was “a marker post indicating a change to the way of life towards one of complete dependence on employment from one with a small element of independence”.

The huge amount of work that was carried out by Richard Allen in 1998 into the structure of the village before and after 1814 can be accessed using the button below.

In the nineteenth century, “enclosure” was spelled “inclosure”.

The Commons

This extract from Faden’s 1797 Map of Norfolk (digitally redrawn by Andrew Macnaire December 2004) shows the commons coloured in amber:-

With thanks to Michael Allen for sight of this map.

Encroachment

One harsh aspect of the Inclosures Act was that anyone who was found to have been “squatting” on the commons for less than 30 years lost whatever improvements (including their homes) that had been built on the common lands. These were sold by the Commissioners and either the proceeds were set against that person’s entitlement, or if there was no entitlement, the sale proceeds went towards the general expenses of the Commissioners. There are details of an example at the Stalland here.

Documents concerning enclosure

Text of the Act

The text of the Act is available below:

Date	Change
14/1/25	Map of Commons
7/11/24	Encroachment
31/10/23	Link to 1812 statement of claims
3/11/22	Published