The Enclosure Movement

The Enclosure Movement was a process in 18th and 19th-century England where common land, previously shared by local villagers for farming and grazing, was privatized and enclosed with fences or walls. This shift transitioned land from open, communal usage to private ownership, often for more efficient and profitable farming. While it allowed landowners to innovate and increase agricultural productivity, it also displaced many small farmers and rural workers, contributing to urban migration and social upheaval. Overall, the Enclosure Movement significantly transformed land use, economic practices, and social structures in rural England.