Editing Enclosure (section)

===Commissioners of inclosure===
The statutory process included the appointment of commissioners.{{sfn|Friar|2004|pages=144–146}} 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 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 commutation|tithe payments to be commutated to a rent charge]] instead.{{sfn|Lee|2006|pages=75–78}}

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Inclosure Act 1845
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to facilitate the Inclosure and Improvement of Commons and Lands held in common, the Exchange of Lands, and the Division of intermixed Lands; to provide Remedies for defective or incomplete Executions, and for the Non-execution of the Powers of general and local Inclosure Acts; and to provide for the Revival of such Powers in certain cases.
| year                  = 1845
| citation              = [[8 & 9 Vict.]] c. 118
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 8 August 1845
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = [[Statute Law Revision Act 1875]]
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = Amended
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/8-9/118/contents/enacted
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = Inclosure Act 1845
| collapsed             = yes
}}
After the '''{{visible anchor|Inclosure Act 1845}}''' ([[8 & 9 Vict.]] c. 118) permanent Inclosure Commissioners were appointed who could approve enclosures without having to submit to Parliament.{{sfn|The National Archives|2021}}

The Rev. William Homer was a commissioner and he provided a job description in 1766:

{{blockquote|A Commissioner is appointed by Act of Parliament for dividing and allotting common fields and is directed to do it according to 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 the return of caution attention and integrity which can result from an honest impartial and ingenuous mind.<br/><small>''(From William Homer, An Essay on the Nature and Method [of] the Inclosure of Common Fields. 1766)''</small>|source={{harvnb|Beresford|1946|pages=130–140}}}}

After 1899, the Board of Agriculture, which later became the [[Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries]], inherited the powers of the Inclosure Commissioners.{{sfn|The National Archives|2021}}

One of the objectives of enclosure 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.{{sfn|Mingay|2014|p=48}}