The history of allotments

Allotments are small parcels of land rented to grow fruits, vegetables and plants. Some people even use them to keep bees and smaller animals like rabbits and hens. Allotments can vary in size but the most common is ten rods or poles, which is an old Anglo-Saxon measurement roughly equal to 250 square metres.

Allotments have their origins in the late Anglo-Saxon/early medieval period when huge fields—some could be hundreds of acres—belonging to villages or manors, would be divided into thin strips for individuals or families to grow crops. This was known as the open-field system.

By the late 1500s, these large fields or ‘common land’ would be divided up into plots to be used only by the owner. They were then enclosed with hedges during a process known as ‘the enclosures’ that would take place over the next few hundred years, through a series of Acts of Parliament. In compensation, ‘allotments’ of land would be attached to tenant cottages; this is said to be the first written reference to allotments in the UK. Unfortunately, these allotments would not help the very poor in society, some of whom starved because of the enclosures.

Allotments as we know them today stem from the General Enclosure Act of 1845 that made provision for ‘field gardens’ to be used by the landless poor—although very little enclosed land was actually set aside for this purpose. The later ‘Small Holdings and Allotments Act’ of 1907 and 1908 imposed responsibilities on councils to provide allotments if there was a demand for them.

© Science Museum Group Collection

There was a huge increase in allotment use during the First and Second World Wars as blockades resulted in a shortage of imported food. Disused railway land, public parks and private gardens were all utilised to grow fruit and vegetables. The famous ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign during the Second World War produced 1.3 million tonnes of food from nearly 1.5 million allotment plots. 

There was a steady decline in allotment use after the wars as focus shifted to housing and rebuilding initiatives. The decline slowed during the 1970s when TV shows like the BBC’s The Good Life inspired interest in food production and self-sufficiency.

Since the 1990s, there has been something of an ‘allotment renaissance’ as concerns about global heating and an interest in organic produce led people to become more concerned about where their food came from. Unfortunately, this steady rise in interest has not been met by supply; in some urban places, waiting lists for allotment plots can extend to several years.

Some people grow fruit and vegetables as a hobby or for the numerous physical and mental health benefits it brings, but for others, it’s a chance to express their competitive nature. What is your neighbour growing? How big is their cabbage compared to yours? What are they using to overcome the difficulties with the soil in our area? These questions can be hard to resist.

In some cases, this can play out as friendly competition between neighbours and nearby allotment holders. It can also involve serious competition with year-round dedication and the lure of awards and prizes. Competitions take place up and down the country every year to celebrate the best produce grown—this can range from low-key competitions in the local pub to local and national competitions at country shows.

There are even competitions which award prizes for the best allotment plot, which consider things like the quality and diversity of planting (fruit, vegetables and flowers); the visual appearance of the plot and its cleanliness; creativity and ingenuity in improving soil conditions; and evidence of sustainability practices.