98-742: The Brixton murals are a series of murals by local artists in the Brixton area, in south London . Most of the murals were funded by Lambeth London Borough Council and the Greater London Council after the Brixton riots in 1981 . The murals portray politics, community and ideas. Many are now in a state of disrepair and some are no longer there. The remaining murals are within walking distance of each other. The murals listed above can still be seen, but some murals are no longer intact. These murals can still be seen in Brixton. Brixton Brixton
196-415: A 20-storey tower block providing office space were unveiled by Taylor McWilliams - a Texan property developer whose company Hondo Enterprises had bought Brixton Market in 2018. This plan drew a large opposition from the local community and campaign groups, already concerned with the threat of eviction of a popular local supermarket. Despite a petition and overwhelming opposition, council planners approved
294-481: A campaign poster leading up to the 1992 election "What does the Conservative Party offer a working class kid from Brixton? They made him Prime Minister." The 1995 riots were sparked by the death of a black man, Wayne Douglas, in police custody and occurred in an atmosphere of discontent about the gentrification of Brixton. In April 1999, Brixton Market was the site of the first of three attacks known as
392-473: A design motif inspired by Coldharbour Lane 's Southwyck House (or "Barrier Block"). In 2015, to celebrate the Brixton pound's fifth anniversary, the Turner Prize -winning artist Jeremy Deller was commissioned to design a limited-edition B£5 note. It was described as "psychedelic and political", with the front featuring bright colors and the back with a quotation from Karl Marx ’s Das Kapital ("Capital
490-832: A family that owned land in Lambeth from the late 17th century until well into the 20th. As bridges were built across the Thames in the early 19th century those working in the City of London and the West End moved to south London. The first development was in Washway, now Brixton Road. With the enclosing of the Manor of Lambeth, owned by the Archbishop of Canterbury , in 1806 and the opening of Vauxhall Bridge in 1816, terraced houses and detached villas started to line
588-449: A fee (known as a fine), the heir could have the copyhold transferred. To remove their customary rights, the landlords converted the copyhold into a leasehold tenancy. Leasehold removed the customary rights but the advantage to the tenant was that the land could be inherited. There was a significant rise in enclosure during the Tudor period . Enclosure was quite often undertaken unilaterally by
686-424: A few lines, the poem manages to criticize double standards, expose the artificial and controversial nature of property rights, and take a slap at the legitimacy of state power. And it does it all with humor, without jargon, and in rhyming couplets." In 1770 Oliver Goldsmith wrote the poem The Deserted Village , in it condemns rural depopulation, the enclosure of common land, the creation of landscape gardens and
784-437: A friend complaining that if he desired good roads "never to go into Sussex" and another writer said that the "Sussex road is an almost insuperable evil" . The problem was that country lanes were worn out and this had been compounded by the movement of cattle. Thus the commissioners were given powers to build wide straight roads that would allow for the passage of cattle. The completed new roads would be subject to inspection by
882-491: A large percentage of its population of Afro-Caribbean descent. It lies within Inner London and is bordered by Stockwell , Clapham , Streatham , Camberwell , Tulse Hill , Balham and Herne Hill . The district houses the main offices of Lambeth London Borough Council . Brixton is 2.7 mi (4.3 km) south-southeast from the geographical centre of London (measuring to a point near Brixton Underground station on
980-406: A network of medieval country lanes, such as Acre Lane, Coldharbour Lane , Brixton Water Lane and Lyham Road, formerly Black Lane. It was only at the end of the 18th century that villages and settlements formed around Brixton, as the original woodland was gradually reduced until the area was covered in farmland and market gardens known for game and strawberries. The area remained undeveloped until
1078-543: A number of murders around the estate. The Loughborough Estate is home to more than 3,000 families and a mix of 1940s low-rise buildings and 1960s/1970s tower blocks and houses. Problems of urban decay have been reported around Loughborough Junction , the catchment area for Loughborough Estate, the Angell Town Estate and the Moorlands Estate. Brixton still features some grand Victorian housing . Brixton Market
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#17328476191601176-481: A number of popular record shops. Desmond's Hip City on Atlantic Road existed from the 1970s until its closure in 1989. A record by the band Skydiggers ; Desmond's Hip City is named after the shop. In 2018, filmmaker Molly Dineen made a film about the owner of Blacker Dread Muzik Store called Being Blacker . Brixton's current record shops include Supertone Records (opened in 1983) selling soundsystem reggae and Container Records which sells dance music. Brixton
1274-495: A predominantly African-Caribbean community . The Metropolitan Police began Operation Swamp 81 at the beginning of April, aimed at reducing street crime , largely through the repeated use of the so-called sus law , which allowed police officers to stop and search any individual on the grounds of mere "suspicion" of possible wrongdoing. Plain clothes police officers were dispatched into Brixton, and within five days almost 1,000 people were stopped and searched under this law. There
1372-458: A prelude to the UK's parliamentary system. After 1650 with the increase in corn prices and the drop in wool prices the focus shifted to implementation of new agricultural techniques, including fertilizer, new crops, and crop rotation, all of which greatly increased the profitability of large-scale farms. The enclosure movement probably peaked from 1760 to 1832; by the latter date it had essentially completed
1470-647: A severe housing crisis, which in turn led to urban decay . This was followed by slum clearances and the building of council housing . In the 1940s and 1950s, many immigrants, particularly from the West Indies and Ireland, settled in Brixton. The first wave of immigrants (492 individuals) who formed the British African-Caribbean community arrived in 1948 at Tilbury Docks on the HMT Empire Windrush from Jamaica and were temporarily housed in
1568-428: A significant clubbing and live music scene. Large venues include Brixton Academy and Electric Brixton . A range of smaller venues such as The Windmill , Jamm, and Phonox are a major part of London's live music scene. The Brixton Splash is an annual one-day street party held since 2006. The event is community run, showcasing local talent and celebrating the cultural diversity and history of Brixton. Brixton has had
1666-503: A single field would have been divided under this system among the lord and his tenants; poorer peasants ( serfs or copyholders , depending on the era) were allowed to live on the strips owned by the lord in return for cultivating his land. The open-field system was probably a development of the earlier Celtic field system, which it replaced. The open-field system used a three-field crop rotation system. Barley , oats , or legumes would be planted in one field in spring, wheat or rye in
1764-457: Is Morleys, an independent department store established in the 1880s. In 1888, Electric Avenue was so named after it became the first street in London to be lit by electricity . In this time, large expensive houses were constructed along the main roads in Brixton, which were converted into flats and boarding houses at the start of the 20th century as the middle classes were replaced by an influx of
1862-499: Is a term, used in English landownership, that refers to the appropriation of "waste" or " common land " , enclosing it, and by doing so depriving commoners of their rights of access and privilege. Agreements to enclose land could be either through a formal or informal process. The process could normally be accomplished in three ways. First there was the creation of "closes", taken out of larger common fields by their owners. Secondly, there
1960-482: Is also home to a 1970s purpose-built skatepark , named Stockwell Skatepark , its own Dominoes team, the Brixton Immortals started by the community's Windrush Generation and bicycle co-operative Brixton Cycles . Brixton is served by two local news blogs - Brixton Blog running since 2010 which also prints a monthly newspaper, and Brixton Buzz formed in 2011 Enclosure Enclosure or inclosure
2058-593: Is an area of South London , part of the London Borough of Lambeth , England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London . Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th century as communications with central London improved. Brixton is mainly residential, though includes Brixton Market and a substantial retail sector. It is a multi-ethnic community, with
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#17328476191602156-411: Is found that the sheep of any soil yield a softer and richer wool than ordinary, there the nobility and gentry, and even those holy men, the abbots! not contented with the old rents which their farms yielded, nor thinking it enough that they, living at their ease, do no good to the public, resolve to do it hurt instead of good. They stop the course of agriculture, destroying houses and towns, reserving only
2254-561: Is gentrifying the area in a similar way to that in nearby Clapham . Pop Brixton exemplifies the ongoing discussion about regeneration. Originally created as a community project , opinion is divided over whether Pop fulfils its intentions of being part of the local community, with some arguing that Pop is seen as just another tourist and retail attraction, and that the council did not meaningfully engage with Brixton residents. Others have welcomed its arrival for its entrepreneurial approach and benefiting start-ups , and that it brings people into
2352-743: Is money, capital is commodities...By virtue of it being value, it has acquired the occult ability to add value to itself. It brings forth living offspring, or, at the least, lays golden eggs.") Other towns and cities in the UK that have used their own currency include the city of Bristol , Totnes in Devon, Stroud in Gloucestershire and Lewes in Sussex. Brixton is home to several particularly large housing estates : Stockwell Park Estate off Stockwell and Brixton Roads respectively; Myatt's Fields South and North off Vassall Road; Angell Town off Brixton Road on
2450-465: Is open every day, selling a range of African-Caribbean products and reflects other communities in the local area with Indian and Vietnamese supermarkets and South American butchers amongst the shops and stalls. . London Farmers' Markets opened a farmers market on Brixton Station Road in September 2009. It is open every Sunday from 9.30am to 2pm. After the riots in 1981 a series of murals were funded by
2548-491: Is the main shopping area, fusing into Brixton Market . On the western boundary of Brixton with Clapham stands the Sunlight Laundry, an Art Deco factory building. Designed by architect F.E. Simpkins and erected in 1937, this is one of the few Art Deco buildings that is still owned by the firm that commissioned it and is still used for its original purpose. The Brixton area was bombed during World War II , contributing to
2646-464: The Inclosure Act 1845 ( 8 & 9 Vict. c. 118). After the 1845 act permanent Inclosure Commissioners were appointed who could approve enclosures without having to submit to Parliament. The Rev. William Homer was a commissioner and he provided a job description in 1766: A Commissioner is appointed by Act of Parliament for dividing and allotting common fields and is directed to do it according to
2744-451: The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the creation of an independent Police Complaints Authority in 1985. The 1999 Macpherson Report, an investigation into the murder of Stephen Lawrence , found that recommendations of the 1981 Scarman report had been ignored and concluded that the police force was " institutionally racist ". John Major 's childhood roots in the area were used in
2842-681: The London nail bombings . The other two, which followed within a fortnight, were in Brick Lane , the heart of East London's Bangladeshi community, and the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho , frequented predominantly by the gay community. In the Brixton attack, 48 people were injured. The bomber was caught after the third attack; the BBC reported that he intended to ignite a race war across Britain with his bombing campaign. He
2940-417: The London, Brighton & South Coast Railway opened Loughborough Park railway station with connections to London Bridge and the following year to Victoria. With the arrival of the railways a building boom set in. Brixton was transformed into a middle class suburb between the 1860s and 1890s and Brixton developed into a major shopping centre. The first purpose-built department store , Bon Marché (Brixton) ,
3038-467: The Statute of Merton in 1235 manorial lords were able to reorganize strips of land such that they were brought together in one contiguous block. Copyholders had a "customary tenancy" on their piece of land that was legally enforceable. The problem was that a "copyhold tenancy" was only valid for the holder's life. The heir would not have the right to inheritance although usually by custom, in exchange for
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3136-477: The Victoria line ). The name Brixton is thought to originate from Brixistane , meaning the stone of Brixi, a Saxon lord. Brixi is thought to have erected a boundary stone to mark the meeting place of the ancient Brixton hundred court of Surrey . The location is unknown but is thought to be at the top of Brixton Hill , at a road known at the time as Bristow or Brixton Causeway, long before any settlement in
3234-491: The " open field system ," was in the lowland areas of England in a broad band from Yorkshire and Lincolnshire diagonally across England to the south, taking in parts of Norfolk and Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, large areas of the Midlands, and most of south central England. Enclosure Inclosure Villagers There were essentially two broad categories of enclosure, these were 'formal' or 'informal' agreements. Formal enclosure
3332-489: The 12th century agricultural land had been enclosed. However, the history of enclosure in England is different from region to region. Parts of south-east England (notably sections of Essex and Kent ) retained the pre-Roman Celtic field system of farming in small enclosed fields. Similarly in much of west and north-west England, fields were either never open, or were enclosed early. The primary area of field management, known as
3430-431: The Angell Town Estate were originally designed to accommodate high-level walkways which were envisaged to link the whole of Brixton. The ground-floor garages of these estates have proved to be a major security problem. The Somerleyton Estate is dominated by Southwyck House (known locally as "Barrier Block"), a large horseshoe-shaped brick and concrete 1970s structure that backs onto Coldharbour Lane. The 176-apartment block
3528-539: The Anglican clergy) could voluntarily commutate tithe payments to a rental charge, this would have the effect of reducing their income, so many refused to allow it. However the Tithe Act 1836 ( 6 & 7 Will. 4 . c. 71) made it compulsory for tithe payments to be commutated to a rent charge instead. The commissioners of inclosure had absolute authority to enclose and redistribute common and open fields from around 1745 until
3626-504: The Black Death, during the 14th to 17th centuries, landowners started to convert arable land over to sheep, with legal support from the Statute of Merton of 1235. Villages were depopulated. The peasantry responded with a series of revolts. In the 1381 Peasants' Revolt , enclosure was one of the side issues. However, in Jack Cade's rebellion of 1450 land rights were a prominent demand and by
3724-590: The Clapham South deep shelter. The nearest Labour Exchange ( Jobcentre ) was on Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, and the new arrivals spread out into local accommodation. Many immigrants only intended to stay in Britain for a few years, but although a number returned to the Caribbean, the majority remained to settle permanently. The arrival of the passengers has become an important landmark in the history of modern Britain, and
3822-543: The Common " has come to represent the opposition to the enclosure movement in the 18th century: "The law locks up the man or woman Who steals the goose from off the common, But lets the greater felon loose Who steals the common from the goose." (Part of 18th century poem by Anon.) According to one academic: "This poem is one of the pithiest condemnations of the English enclosure movement—the process of fencing off common land and turning it into private property. In
3920-504: The Hammonds' 1911 analysis of the events, critically J. D. Chambers and G. E. Mingay , suggested that the Hammonds exaggerated the costs of change when in reality enclosure meant more food for the growing population, more land under cultivation and on balance, more employment in the countryside. The ability to enclose land and raise rents certainly made the enterprise more profitable. D. McCloskey. "The openfields of England: rent, risk and
4018-551: The King, whose Star Chamber court, abolished in 1641, had provided the primary legal brake on the enclosure process. By dealing an ultimately crippling blow to the monarchy (which, even after the Restoration , no longer posed a significant challenge to enclosures) the Civil War paved the way for the eventual rise to power in the 18th century of what has been called a "committee of Landlords",
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4116-541: The London sewerage system was constructed during the mid-19th century, its designer Sir Joseph Bazalgette incorporated flows from the River Effra into his 'high-level interceptor sewer', also known as the Effra sewer. Brixton was connected to central London by rail on 25 August 1862 when Brixton and South Stockwell railway station was opened by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway on the line from Victoria. On 13 August 1866
4214-673: The Tudors. The resulting depopulation was financially disadvantageous to the Crown. The authorities were concerned that many of the people subsequently dispossessed would become vagabonds and thieves. Also the depopulation of villages would produce a weakened workforce and enfeeble the military strength of the state. From the time of Henry VII, Parliament began passing acts either to stop enclosure, to limit its effects, or at least to fine those responsible. The so-called 'tillage acts', were passed between 1489 and 1597. The people who were responsible for
4312-530: The animals produced in the fallow field would help restore its fertility. The following year, the fields for planting and fallow would be rotated. The very nature of the three field rotation system imposed a discipline on lord and tenants in their management of the arable land. Every one had the freedom to do what they liked with their own land but had to follow the rhythms of the rotation system. The land-holding tenants had livestock , including sheep, pigs, cattle , horses, oxen , and poultry , and after harvest,
4410-484: The area which has benefited trade and its popularity. In April 2015, a Reclaim Brixton protest was held by local residents and activists opposing gentrification. In March 2016, a campaign to save the businesses that occupy the railway arches commenced, with long-running local businesses being forced out due to rent-rises. The council passed the plans for Network Rail to refurbish them in August. In May 2019, plans for
4508-525: The area. Brixton marks the rise from the marshes in the north of the ancient parish of Lambeth up to the hills of Upper Norwood and Streatham . At the time the River Effra flowed from its source in Upper Norwood through Herne Hill to Brixton. At Brixton the river was crossed by low bridges for Roman roads to the south coast, now Brixton Road and Clapham Road. The main roads were connected through
4606-438: The available contemporary data and concluded that the difference in efficiency between the open field system and enclosure is not so plain and obvious. M.E.Turners paper "English Open Field and Enclosures:Retardation or Productivity Improvements". Based on figures extracted from Home Office returns. Notes: A bushel is a measurement of volume = 8 imperial gallons (36 L; 9.6 US gal); 1 acre = 0.4 ha After
4704-408: The beginning of the 19th century, the main settlements being near Stockwell , Brixton Hill and Coldharbour Lane. With the opening of Vauxhall Bridge in 1816, improved access to Central London led to a process of suburban development. The largest single development, and one of the last in suburban character, was Angell Town, laid out in the 1850s on the east side of Brixton Road , and so named after
4802-472: The boundary with Camberwell; Cowley on Cowley and Vassall Roads, Loughborough in the centre of Brixton, Tulse Hill estate, Somerleyton estate and Moorlands Estate, situated off Coldharbour Lane. There are also smaller estates such as Blenheim Gardens, Caldwell Gardens, Church Manor and Hertford. These estates account for a large part of the Brixton residence. Estates like the Stockwell Park Estate and
4900-555: The cattle enriched the arable land and grass crops on the ploughed-up and manured land were much better than were those on the constant pasture." Since the late 20th century, those contentions have been challenged by a new class of historians. The Enclosure movement has been seen by some as causing the destruction of the traditional peasant way of life, however miserable. Landless peasants could no longer maintain an economic independence so had to become labourers. Historians and economists such as M.E.Turner and D. McCloskey have examined
4998-436: The choice of raising wages to compete for workers or letting their lands go unused. Wages for labourers rose and translated into inflation across the economy. The ensuing difficulties in hiring labour has been seen as causing the abandonment of land and the demise of the feudal system, although some historians have suggested that the effects of the Black Death may have only sped up an already on-going process. From as early as
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#17328476191605096-709: The churches, and enclose grounds that they may lodge their sheep in them. As if forests and parks had swallowed up too little of the land, those worthy countrymen turn the best inhabited places into solitudes; for when an insatiable wretch, who is a plague to his country, resolves to enclose many thousand acres of ground, the owners, as well as tenants, are turned out of their possessions by trick or by main force, or, being wearied out by ill usage, they are forced to sell them; by which means those miserable people, both men and women, married and unmarried, old and young, with their poor but numerous families... (From Thomas Mores Utopia. 1518) An anonymous poem, known as " The Goose and
5194-581: The council. The murals portray nature, politics, community and ideas. The surviving murals include the Brixton Academy Mural (Stockwell Park Walk) by Stephen Pusey (1982) showing a mixed group of young people, intended to portray the natural harmony that could be found between children of mixed backgrounds in the local schools. Recent contributions towards Brixton's mural tradition include the portrait of Michael Johns on Popes Road by Dreph , created as part of Brixton Design Trail in September 2017 and
5292-456: The country. In the 13th century, successful Lords did very well financially, while the peasants faced with ever increasing costs did not, and their landholding dwindled. After outbreaks of the Black Death in the middle of the 14th century however, there was a major decline in population and crop yields. The decline in population left the surviving farm workers in great demand. Landowners faced
5390-501: The currency. The Brixton pound aims to boost the local economy and build a mutual support system amongst independent businesses by tying local shoppers to local shops and by encouraging local shops to source goods and services locally. The notes are available in B£1, B£5, B£10, and B£20 denominations and depict local celebrities such as the community activist Olive Morris and the environmentalist James Lovelock . Lambeth Council has endorsed
5488-416: The destruction of the medieval peasant community. Surplus peasant labour moved into the towns to become industrial workers. The enclosure movement is considered by some scholars to be the beginnings of the emergence of capitalism ; for many Marxists, the enclosures constituted "primitive accumulation," establishing the structural conditions necessary for a capitalist political economy. In contrast to
5586-428: The development on 3 November 2020. A subsequent decision is to be made by London mayor Sadiq Khan , the date so far for which has been postponed. 2023 saw the council begin the public consultation for the regeneration of 6 Canterbury Crescent (International House) and 49 Brixton Station Road (Pop Brixton). Brixton was one of the first inner-city based ' Transition town ' projects in the UK. Brockwell Park hosts
5684-415: The disparate strips of land in an area and consolidate them in one whole piece, for example a manor, then any communal rights would cease to exist, since there was no one to exercise them. Before the enclosures in England, " common " land was under the control of the manorial lord. The usual manor consisted of two elements, the peasant tenantry and the lord's holding, known as the demesne farm. The land
5782-521: The enforcement of the acts were the same people who were actually opposed to them. Consequently, the acts were not strictly enforced. Ultimately with rising popular opposition to sheep farming, the Tillage Act 1533 ( 25 Hen. 8 . c. 13) restricted the size of flocks of sheep to no more than 2,400. Then the Taxation Act 1549 ( 3 & 4 Edw. 6 . c. 23) was introduced that imposed a poll tax on sheep that
5880-399: The fields became 'common' so they could graze animals on that land. There are still examples of villages that use the open-field system, one example being Laxton, Nottinghamshire . Seeking better financial returns, landowners looked for more efficient farming techniques. They saw enclosure as a way to improve efficiency, however it was not simply the fencing of existing holdings; there
5978-435: The fourth year. The turnips were used for feeding cattle and sheep in the winter. The practice of growing a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons helped to restore plant nutrients and reduce the build-up of pathogens and pests. The system also improves soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants. For example, turnips can recover nutrients from deep under
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#17328476191606076-552: The image of West Indians filing off its gangplank has come to symbolise the beginning of modern British multicultural society. In 1998 the area in front of Brixton Library was renamed " Windrush Square " to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush . Brixton was the scene of riots in April 1981 at a time when Brixton underwent deep social and economic problems—high unemployment, high crime, poor housing, no amenities —in
6174-517: The initiative to enclose land came either from a landowner hoping to maximise rental from their estate, or a tenant farmer wanting to improve their farm. Before the 17th century enclosures were generally by informal agreement. When they first introduced enclosure by act of Parliament the informal method continued too. The first enclosure by act of Parliament was in 1604 (the Melcombe Regis and Radipole, Dorset (Church) Act 1603 ( 1 Jas. 1 . c. 30)) and
6272-653: The landowner, sometimes illegally. The widespread eviction of people from their lands resulted in the collapse of the open field system in those areas. The deprivations of the displaced workers has been seen by historians as a cause of subsequent social unrest. In Tudor England the ever increasing demand for wool had a dramatic effect on the landscape. The attraction of large profits to be made from wool encouraged manorial lords to enclose common land and convert it from arable to (mainly) sheep pasture. The consequent eviction of commoners or villagers from their homes and loss of their livelihoods became an important political issue for
6370-462: The laws of Edward the Confessor . Thus commoners were still able to exercise their ancient customary rights. The original contract bound the people who occupied the land to provide some form of service. This later evolved into a financial agreement that avoided or replaced the service. Following the introduction of the feudal system, there was an increase in the economic growth and urban expansion of
6468-427: The local justices, to make sure they were of a suitable standard. In the late eighteenth century the width of the enclosure roads was at least 60 feet (18 m), but from the 1790s this was decreased to 40 feet (12 m), and later 30 feet as the normal maximum width. Straight roads of early origin, if not Roman were probably enclosure roads. They were established in the period between 1750 and 1850. The building of
6566-561: The lord held was for his benefit and was farmed by his own direct employees or by hired labour. The tenant farmers had to pay rent. This could either be cash, labour or produce. Tenants had certain rights such as pasture , pannage , or estovers that could be held by neighbouring properties, or (occasionally) in gross by all manorial tenants. "Waste" land was often very narrow areas, typically less than 1 yard (0.91 m) wide, in awkward locations (such as cliff edges, or inconveniently shaped manorial borders), but also could be bare rock, it
6664-406: The main roads. The Rush Common enclosure stipulations dictated that houses had to be set back from the main roads, allowing for generous gardens. St Matthew's Church on part of the former common land was consecrated in 1824. The parish of St Matthew Brixton, one of five subdivisions of the ancient Lambeth parish, stretched from Camberwell Green in the northeast, to Clapham Road in the northwest, to
6762-578: The new roads, especially when linked up with new roads in neighbouring parishs and ultimately the turnpikes , was a permanent improvement to the road system of the country. The social and economic consequences of enclosure has been much discussed by historians. In the Tudor period Sir Thomas More in his Utopia said: The increase of pasture,' said I, 'by which your sheep, which are naturally mild, and easily kept in order, may be said now to devour men and unpeople, not only villages, but towns; for wherever it
6860-431: The now annual Urban Green Fair, first held in summer 2007. The Brixton pound was first trialled at Transition Town Brixton's "Local Economy Day" on 19 June 2008. It was then launched on 17 September 2009 by Transition Town Brixton. The Brixton pound is a local currency that is available as an alternative to sterling . The first trading day of the Brixton pound was on 18 September 2009 with 80 local businesses accepting
6958-464: The outer edge of Brockwell Park in the southeast and to Kingswood Road in the southwest. Ashby's Mill , one of the few surviving windmills in London, was built in 1816, just off Brixton Hill and surrounded by houses built during Brixton's Victorian expansion. The Surrey House of Correction , later Brixton prison, was established in 1819. As part of the Reform Act 1832 the expanding area of London
7056-423: The policy, with many protests at the removal of rights from the common people. Enclosure riots are seen by historians as 'the pre-eminent form' of social protest from the 1530s to 1640s. After William I invaded and conquered England in 1066, he distributed its land amongst 180 barons , who held it as his tenants in chief , establishing a feudal system . However he promised the English people that he would keep
7154-616: The project, which the New Economics Foundation helped to develop. On 29 September 2011, the Brixton pound launched an electronic version of the currency where users can pay by text message. A second issue of the paper currency was launched, featuring a new set of well-known people with Brixton connections: On the B£1, the Black Cultural Archives founder Len Garrison , on the B£5, NBA basketball player Luol Deng (the reverse
7252-413: The pursuit of excessive wealth. During the 19th and early 20th century historians generally had sympathy for the cottagers who rented their dwellings from the manorial lord and also the landless labourers. John and Barbara Hammond said that "enclosure was fatal to three classes: the small farmer, the cottager and the squatter." "Before enclosure the cottager was a labourer with land; after enclosure
7350-562: The rate of interest, 1300-1815" Arnold Toynbee considered that the main feature distinguishing English agriculture was the massive reduction in common land between the middle of the 18th to the middle of the 19th century. The major advantages of the enclosures were: He writes: "The result was a great increase in agricultural produce. The landowners having separated their plots from those of their neighbours and having consolidated them could pursue any method of tillage they preferred. Alternate and convertible husbandry … came in. The manure of
7448-486: The respective interests of proprietors ... without undue preference to any, but paying regard to situation, quality and convenience. The method of ascertainment is left to the major part of the Commission ... and this without any fetter or check upon them beside their own honour confidence (and late indeed) awed by the solemnity of an oath. This is perhaps one of the greatest trusts ever reposed in one set of men; and merits all
7546-671: The return of caution attention and integrity which can result from an honest impartial and ingenuous mind. (From William Homer, An Essay on the Nature and Method [of] the Inclosure of Common Fields. 1766) After 1899, the Board of Agriculture, which later became the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries , inherited the powers of the Inclosure Commissioners. One of the objectives of enclosure
7644-533: The riot. Following the 1981 Brixton riot the Government commissioned a public inquiry into the riot headed by Lord Scarman . The subsequent Scarman report was published in November 1981 and found unquestionable evidence of the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of 'stop and search' powers by the police against black people. The report made a number of recommendations and led to a new code for police behaviour in
7742-415: The second field in the autumn. There was no such thing as artificial fertilizer in mediaeval England, so the continual use of arable land for crops would exhaust the fertility of the soil. The open-field system solved that problem. It did this by allowing the third field, of the arable land, to be uncultivated each year and use that "fallow" field for grazing animals, on the stubble of the old crop. The manure
7840-505: The soil. Planting crops such as turnips and clover was not realistic under the open field system because the unrestricted access to the field meant that other villagers' livestock would graze on the turnips. Another important feature of the Norfolk system was that it used labour at times when demand was not at peak levels. From as early as the 12th century, some open fields in Britain were being enclosed into individually owned fields. After
7938-656: The temporary installation of "Remain, Thriving" by Njideka Akunyili Crosby at Brixton tube station , a commission by Art on the Underground . In 2018 Dreph completed a large mural depicting Michelle Obama in Dorrell Place. The Ritzy Cinema , Coldharbour Lane, is a formerly independent cinema now owned by Picturehouse Cinemas . The building was designed as the Electric Pavilion in 1910 by E. C. Homer and Lucas, one of England's first purpose-built cinemas. Brixton has
8036-401: The thriving bohemian art scene. However, others argue that the area is undergoing exciting regeneration. In recent years, Brixton has hosted a regular farmers' market on Station Road, as well as Pop-up restaurants and pop-up shops. New art galleries, delicatessens, bars, cafes and vintage clothing stores, particularly in and around Brixton Village Market have also opened, which some believe
8134-419: The total area of England. Parliamentary inclosure was also used for the division and privatisation of common "wastes" such as fens , marshes , heathland , downland and moors . The statutory process included the appointment of commissioners. The process of enclosure was weighted in favour of the tithe owner who had the right to appoint one inclosure commissioner for their parish. Tithe-owners (usually
8232-406: The working classes. By 1925, Brixton attracted thousands of new people. It housed the largest shopping centre in south London at the time, as well as a thriving market, cinemas, pubs and a theatre. In the 1920s, Brixton was the shopping capital of south London with three large department stores and some of the earliest branches of what are now Britain's major national retailers. Today, Brixton Road
8330-466: Was a labourer without land." Marxist historians, such as Barrington Moore Jr. , focused on enclosure as a part of the class conflict that eventually eliminated the English peasantry and saw the emergence of the bourgeoisie . From this viewpoint, the English Civil War provided the basis for a major acceleration of enclosures. The parliamentary leaders supported the rights of landlords vis-à-vis
8428-433: Was achieved either through act of Parliament, or, from 1836 onwards, by a written agreement signed by all parties involved. The written record would probably also include a map. With informal agreements there was either minimal or no written record other than occasionally a map of the agreement. The most straightforward informal enclosure was through 'unity of possession'. Under this, if an individual managed to acquire all
8526-481: Was also a fundamental change in agricultural practice. One of the most important innovations was the development of the Norfolk four-course system , which greatly increased crop and livestock yields by improving soil fertility and reducing fallow periods. Wheat was grown in the first year, turnips in the second, followed by barley, with clover and ryegrass in the third. The clover and ryegrass were grazed or cut for feed in
8624-400: Was convicted of murder and given six concurrent life sentences . There has been, and there remains great debate regarding whether Brixton's recent renaissance should be deemed regeneration or gentrification . Some believe the area has slowly undergone a process of gentrification since the 1990s and has resulted in many wealthy middle-class people taking advantage of the area's location and
8722-426: Was coupled with a levy on home produced cloth. The result made sheep farming less profitable. However, in the end it was market forces that were responsible for stopping the conversion of arable into pasture. An increase in corn prices during the second half of the 16th century made arable farming more attractive, so although enclosures continued the emphasis was more on efficient use of the arable land. Historically,
8820-435: Was enclosure by proprietors, owners who acted together, usually small farmers or squires, leading to the enclosure of whole parishes. Finally there were enclosures by acts of Parliament . The primary reason for enclosure was to improve the efficiency of agriculture. However, there were other motives too, one example being that the value of the land enclosed would be substantially increased. There were social consequences to
8918-592: Was for Radipole , Dorset . This was followed by many more acts of Parliament and by the 1750s the parliamentary system became the more usual method. The Inclosure Act 1773 ( 13 Geo. 3 . c. 81) created a law that enabled "enclosure" of land, at the same time removing the right of commoners ' access. Although there was usually compensation, it was often in the form of a smaller and poorer quality plot of land. Between 1604 and 1914 there were more than 5,200 inclosure bills which amounted to 6,800,000 acres (2,800,000 ha) of land that equated to approximately one fifth of
9016-475: Was given representation with the creation of new parliamentary boroughs covering the metropolitan area. Only the part of Brixton north of St Matthew's Church became part of the Lambeth parliamentary borough , reflecting the still semi-rural nature of the southern part of the area. The population of Brixton was 10,175 in 1841, about 10% of the parish of Lambeth. In twenty years the population of both had doubled. When
9114-732: Was inspired by the Ark Evelyn Grace Academy ), David Bowie on the B£10 and World War II secret agent Violette Szabo on the B£20. The reverse of the notes, designed by a Brixton creative agency This Ain't Rock'n'Roll, feature notable local landmarks such as the Stockwell Skatepark , public art on Electric Avenue , Nuclear Dawn (one of the Brixton murals ), and the Stirling Prize -winning Ark Evelyn Grace Academy . All four notes feature
9212-419: Was intense local indignation at this, since the vast majority of those stopped by the police were young black men. The riot resulted in almost 279 injuries to police and 45 injuries to members of the public, more than a hundred vehicles were burned (including 56 police vehicles), and almost 150 buildings were damaged, with 30 burned. There were 82 arrests. Reports suggested that up to 5,000 people were involved in
9310-447: Was not officially used by anyone, and so was often "farmed" by landless peasants. The remaining land was organised into a large number of narrow strips, each tenant possessing several disparate strips throughout the manor, as would the manorial lord . The open-field system was administered by manorial courts , which exercised some collective control. The land in a manor under this system would consist of: What might now be termed
9408-473: Was opened on Brixton Road in 1877 and Electric Avenue was one of the first shopping arcades to have electric lighting. The now famous Brixton Market began in Atlantic Road and was moved to Station Road in the 1920s to ease traffic congestion. In 1881 the population of Brixton was 62,837, now home to a quarter of the parish of Lambeth. A prominent building on Brixton High Street (at 472–488 Brixton Road)
9506-461: Was originally constructed in this shape to provide a noise barrier against Ringway 1 , a proposed inner-London motorway that was planned to pass through Brixton and Camberwell, later abandoned. Some housing estates have been linked with urban decay and crime. New gates and iron bars have been constructed for the Loughborough Estate around Loughborough Road and Minet Road in response to
9604-407: Was to improve local roads. Commissioners were given authorisation to replace old roads and country lanes with new roads that were wider and straighter than those they replaced. The road system of England had been problematic for some time. An 1852 government report described the condition of a road between Surrey and Sussex as "very ruinous and almost impassable." In 1749 Horace Walpole wrote to
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