An Introduction to the Enclosure Act 1760

Coddington's Enclosure Act was quite an early Parliamentary Act enclosure.  Enclosures before the 18^th Century had largely been on land suitable for putting down to grass for sheep and cattle husbandry.  Early local enclosures at Cotham, Hawton and Langford were of this type.  The Act also refers to an "old enclosure" in Coddington, held by Elizabeth HERON and next to marshland.

The four open fields in Coddington were called Berkley's Field, Green Field, Stonepit Field and Pelmore Hill Field.  The Common may have been on the Great Moor or the marshy ground of Old and New Carr.  Coddington's land is clayey to the west and sandy to the east.  The subsoil is blue lias limestone, marl and gravel.  There does not seem to be a map showing the open fields in Coddington and the plan which accompanied the Enclosure Act is also missing.

However, the map detailed below, showing the enclosure grants overwritten on an early 20^th Century OS map (while of unknown provenance) has been lodged with Nottinghamshire Archives:

Enclosures of the 18^th Century were usually to promote more efficient arable farming; in Nottinghamshire they were often on clay or heavier corn-growing land in the Trent Valley.  In sand and forest areas they were usually to enclose commons, wasteland or land on the edge of parishes.  Where there were only a few landowners, enclosures could be arranged more informally without an expensive Act of Parliament - these tended to be done earlier.

A Land Tax Assessment of Coddington in 1700 listed 37 taxable proprietors.  Almost all the landowners in 1760 held both freehold and copyhold land.  The House of Common Committee determined that nineteen mesuages and fifteen cottages were likely to be affected by the enclosure of Coddington's fields.

The Act petitioners included Thomas HERON (Steward of the Manor of Newark), the vicar Thomas WAKEFIELD, three yeoman farmers Stephen and John ASHWELL and John COOPER, Charles REYNOLDS (Chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral, who held land in Coddington) and his lessee, Thomas HOWARD who received the Great Tythe.  Opposition in Coddington was said to have been limited - the only objectors being old Mrs [Elizabeth] BIRKETT (mother to Samuel and William, who both received land) and Joseph WINGFIELD.

Charges, for the 7 Commissioners with legal and parliamentary fees, came to a total of £870 for Coddington's Enclosure.  In addition were surveying costs, and the material and labour costs of new roads, ditches, culverts, fences, hedges etc all to the standards laid down in the award.  In general, for those losing grazing rights on the common, and receiving only small allocations, the costs of enclosure could be too high with the result that they were often forced to sell their allocations and become agricultural workers.  Rents might also increase as the value of the 'improved land' rose.

In the Coddington Award 26 people were granted land allocations.  See Transcribed Text of Enclosure Award for details of the location of the lands awarded.

These 11 people received most land:

This was the land allocated as a result of Joseph BIRCH's 1738 Charity, which became the basis of Charity Farm.  Earnings from this land were used for many purposes, including poor relief, a subsidy for the National and Chapel schools, and in the 20^th Century to build the almshouses.

9 people received 55 - 20 acres:

7 villagers received less than 20acres:

(note: the number refers to the order of the awards within the Act)

By 1780 the HERONs no longer held land in Coddington (we think that they must have sold the estate to the COLCLOUGHs or the FISHERs); the ASHWELL holding was rising and the BIRKETT holding declining.  The NEVILE holding remained high but his land was let to tenants.  We do not know how the smaller owners fared but by 1780 a HOUGH and a HARDY still held land - but there was no WINGFIELD holding.

References:

Hugh DAYBELL: Copy of the Coddington Enclosure Act. 2004

Jill NESBITT: Aspects of 18^th and 19^th Century Coddington. 1973

JD CHAMBERS: Nottingham in the 18^th Century. 1966

P LYTH: A History of Nottinghamshire Farming.