The growth of 19th-century London was unprecedented, swallowing up
villages, commons, and open fields around the metropolitan fringe in
largely uncontrolled housing development. In the mid-Victorian period
opposition to this unbridled growth coalesced into a movement that
campaigned to preserve the London commons. The history of this campaign
is usually presented as having been fought by members of the
metropolitan upper middle class, who played out their battles mainly in
parliament and the law courts. In this fascinating book Mark Gorman
tells a different story--of the key role played by popular protest to
preserve Epping Forest and other open spaces in and near London. He
shows how throughout the 19th century such places were venues for both
radical politics and popular leisure, helping to create a sense of
public right of access, even 'ownership.' London's suburban growth was
partly a response to the rising aspirations of an artisan and lower
middle class who increasingly wanted direct access to open space. This
created the conditions for the mid-Victorian commons preservation
movement, and also gave impetus to distinctive popular protest by
proletarian Londoners.