What can it mean to belong to a place when it doesn’t belong to you? The Ground beneath Our Feet tells the story of how common land all but disappeared in England. It traces the legal and social process known as enclosure – one that reimagined shared land as private property and put up fences to keep people out. The journey takes us via resistance, rebellion, resignation and resurgence from Norman hunting forests to the deserted villages of the eighteenth century and forward to the stump of Sycamore Gap. Camilla Cassidy brings together the voices of lawmakers and lawbreakers, the high and mighty and the commoners, poets and artists to explore tradition, belonging and alienation in our landscape. ‘In this engaging and deeply-researched book, Cassidy shows us how our connection to the land we live on, the land we love, was broken. In reminding us of our ancient and shared connection with the land, Cassidy shows us a way back to ourselves.’ – Kerri Andrews, author of Wanderers: A History of Women Walking
