Colchester Archaeological Trust

EAS Report 3: summary

Volume 27, 1996: The Enclosure of Old Heath common 1811-18
by Patrick Denney

Date report completed: 1996
Location: Old Heath
Map reference(s):
File size: 653 kb
Project type:
Significance of the results:
Keywords: Old Heath, enclosure

Summary. 'The object of the ... study is confined to the period 1800-18, a time which brought lasting changes to both the local community and landscape. For this was the age of enclosure, and although this part of north-east Essex was little affected by such changes, the community at Old Heath suddenly found themselves in the thick of the fray. For what began as a seemingly straightforward exercise in agricultural improvement developed into a battle between opposing manorial lords that attracted considerable interest from the county's landed gentry.'