Enclosure (sometimes
inclosure) was the legal process in England during the 18th century of enclosing a number of small landholdings to create one larger farm. Once enclosed, use of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceased to be
common land for communal use. In
England and Wales the term is also used for the process that ended the ancient system of
arable farming in
open fields. Under enclosure, such land is fenced (
enclosed) and
deeded or
entitled to one or more owners. The process of enclosure began to be a widespread feature of the English agricultural landscape during the 16th century. By the 19th century, unenclosed commons had become largely restricted to rough pasture in mountainous areas and to relatively small parts of the lowlands.