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Who Owns England?
‘Formidable work’ Robert Macfarlane
Who owns England?
Behind this simple question lies this country’s oldest and darkest secret. This is the history of how England’s elite came to own our land – from aristocrats and the church to businessmen and corporations – and an inspiring manifesto for how we can take control back.
This book has been a long time coming. Since 1086, in fact. For centuries, England’s Establishment have been able to cover up how they got their hands on millions of acres of common land, by building walls, burying surveys and more recently, sheltering behind offshore shell companies. But with the dawn of digital mapping and the Freedom of Information Act, they can no longer hide.
Trespassing through country estates and empty Mayfair mansions, writer and activist Guy Shrubsole has used these 21st Century tools to uncover a wealth of never-before-seen information about the people who own our land, in order to create the most comprehensive map of land ownership in England that has ever been made public.
From the Duke who owns the most expensive location on the Monopoly board to the MP who’s the biggest landowner in his county, he unearths truths concealed since the Domesday Book about who is really in charge of this country – at a time when Brexit is meant to be returning sovereignty to the people.
It’s time to expose the truth about who owns England – and finally take back our green and pleasant land.
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First published May 2, 2019
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About the author
Guy Shrubsole
9 books83 followersGuy Shrubsole works as a campaigner for Friends of the Earth and has written for numerous publications including the Guardian and New Statesman. Who Owns England? (2019) was his first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
January 26, 2020
This book appealed to me because I had read and thoroughly enjoyed The Poor Had No Lawyers: Who Owns Scotland. It was probably only a matter of time before someone looked to the rest of Great Britain. Guy Shrubsole’s writing style is less formal than Wightman’s. He writes in what I would term Sunday supplement style, ie chatty and easy to read, not too taxing.
Shrubsole looks at major landowners in turn - the Church, the Crown, the aristocracy, the MOD, nature and land conservation agencies, and so on. Little of what I read was news to me. The most interesting chapter by far concentrates on land held in trust by bodies committed to protecting and conserving our wild spaces and species. I didn’t know that the financier Charles Rothschild is responsible for introducing the concept of the nature reserve of which there are now 2,300 across England and Wales. He is owed a huge debt of gratitude in that respect.
The book ends with an agenda for English land reform (Wales drifts in and out of being included in his agenda) in which Shrubsole sets out 10 aims ranging from, to select a few in no particular order, ending the secrecy around land ownership in England, to fixing the housing crisis, the farming system (other than the beneficiaries, no one can surely support the continuation of the scandalous subsidies handed out to wealthy landowners for doing nowt), restoring nature’s abundance, curbing corporate use of land as an asset, to the introduction of open access to match that in Scotland. The Right to Roam is well established in Scotland and there are few areas that are not open access for all. In England and Wales, however, despite new access laws introduced in 2000, astonishingly only 10% of land is open access and the percentage diminishes the further south you travel. In general, Shrubsole’s agenda is impressive and heartfelt but sadly it’s not realistic.
This is a fairly short book, dense with references and statistics at times, and the writing style wasn’t to my taste. 40% of the book consists of the appendices and reference notes at the end. I read the ebook, however, and enjoyed following the links to various websites for more information. 3 stars because it’s a good effort but it doesn’t stand comparison with Andy Wightman’s work, in my opinion.
Shrubsole looks at major landowners in turn - the Church, the Crown, the aristocracy, the MOD, nature and land conservation agencies, and so on. Little of what I read was news to me. The most interesting chapter by far concentrates on land held in trust by bodies committed to protecting and conserving our wild spaces and species. I didn’t know that the financier Charles Rothschild is responsible for introducing the concept of the nature reserve of which there are now 2,300 across England and Wales. He is owed a huge debt of gratitude in that respect.
The book ends with an agenda for English land reform (Wales drifts in and out of being included in his agenda) in which Shrubsole sets out 10 aims ranging from, to select a few in no particular order, ending the secrecy around land ownership in England, to fixing the housing crisis, the farming system (other than the beneficiaries, no one can surely support the continuation of the scandalous subsidies handed out to wealthy landowners for doing nowt), restoring nature’s abundance, curbing corporate use of land as an asset, to the introduction of open access to match that in Scotland. The Right to Roam is well established in Scotland and there are few areas that are not open access for all. In England and Wales, however, despite new access laws introduced in 2000, astonishingly only 10% of land is open access and the percentage diminishes the further south you travel. In general, Shrubsole’s agenda is impressive and heartfelt but sadly it’s not realistic.
This is a fairly short book, dense with references and statistics at times, and the writing style wasn’t to my taste. 40% of the book consists of the appendices and reference notes at the end. I read the ebook, however, and enjoyed following the links to various websites for more information. 3 stars because it’s a good effort but it doesn’t stand comparison with Andy Wightman’s work, in my opinion.
May 2, 2019
Having thoroughly enjoyed the land law module of my law degree well over a decade ago due to its complexities and nuances I was eager to learn more about this fascinating area, and this book seemed like the ideal opportunity to do so. Guy Shrubsole uncovers how for centuries the wealthy have undertaken nefarious acts in order to get their hands on the land they desired. Open your mind to the fact that by changing how land ownership operates we can begin to address some of the crises of our time: the climate emergency currently underway and the shortage of affordable housing; once again equality simply does not exist in relation to ownership of land. Some of the factors that influence ownership are corruption, power, wealth, secrecy and links to the criminal underworld.
Despite the fact I have prior knowledge on the law regarding all things land, this is a very accessible read for those with none. I wasn't sure whether it would be quite dry given the topic and having not read anything from Shrubsole before, but it was fascinating more than anything. The author is a friends of the earth activist/campaigner and writer and certainly seems to know what he's talking about when it comes to this topic. For centuries land ownership has been shrouded in mystery and Mr Shrubsole makes a compelling case for reform and some very intriguing and effective ways as to how to begin the reforms process.
A thought-provoking, eye-opening and information-rich debut work; full of information we all should know about our country and an interesting history lesson to boot. If you are seeking to learn the truth about the situation then matters will be greatly clarified by Who Owns England? instead of the continued fobbing off society receives via politicians who have a vested interest in hiding the truth. Many thanks to William Collins for an ARC.
Despite the fact I have prior knowledge on the law regarding all things land, this is a very accessible read for those with none. I wasn't sure whether it would be quite dry given the topic and having not read anything from Shrubsole before, but it was fascinating more than anything. The author is a friends of the earth activist/campaigner and writer and certainly seems to know what he's talking about when it comes to this topic. For centuries land ownership has been shrouded in mystery and Mr Shrubsole makes a compelling case for reform and some very intriguing and effective ways as to how to begin the reforms process.
A thought-provoking, eye-opening and information-rich debut work; full of information we all should know about our country and an interesting history lesson to boot. If you are seeking to learn the truth about the situation then matters will be greatly clarified by Who Owns England? instead of the continued fobbing off society receives via politicians who have a vested interest in hiding the truth. Many thanks to William Collins for an ARC.
July 27, 2020
A fascinating investigation into land and property ownership in England. It's a wide ranging and surprising account which embraces Government departments, Russian Oligarchs, Sheikhs, grouse hunting estates, entrepreneurs and, of course, the aristocracy.
Despite what I used to believe, the landed aristocracy remain remarkably adept at retaining their land and other assets - many have owned the same estates they acquired as part of the Norman landgrab in the 11th century. I was less surprised to discover that many landowners use off shore companies to avoid tax and hide their ownership, and trusts and other ruses to sidestep inheritance rules.
Who Owns England? is written in an entertaining and accessible style which belies the amount of data it contains. It also takes many diverting yet interesting digressions. For example, the network of underground tunnels in central London, obscure MOD testing sites, the "lost villages" of WW2 from which residents were forcibly evicted and, despite promises, never allowed to return.
Who Owns England? is a brave, important, timely and hopeful book. It contains information all citizens should understand and also practical suggestions to achieve a more equitable and sustainable future.
5/5
Despite what I used to believe, the landed aristocracy remain remarkably adept at retaining their land and other assets - many have owned the same estates they acquired as part of the Norman landgrab in the 11th century. I was less surprised to discover that many landowners use off shore companies to avoid tax and hide their ownership, and trusts and other ruses to sidestep inheritance rules.
Who Owns England? is written in an entertaining and accessible style which belies the amount of data it contains. It also takes many diverting yet interesting digressions. For example, the network of underground tunnels in central London, obscure MOD testing sites, the "lost villages" of WW2 from which residents were forcibly evicted and, despite promises, never allowed to return.
Who Owns England? is a brave, important, timely and hopeful book. It contains information all citizens should understand and also practical suggestions to achieve a more equitable and sustainable future.
5/5
September 17, 2019
A fascinating read, who actually owns England? From the aristocracy to the offshore corporations based in tax havens who are involved in land banking, I didn't know who to despise more. But what really offended me were the agricultural subsidies given to big states. I mean I am a mere tenant of a tiny house who has to PAY the council hundreds of pounds every year while these landed states are getting hundreds of thousands of subsidies instead. Why have they not been taxed like the rest of us mere mortals? Instead, they have been given regular subsidies to maintain their huge states.
But with the country still believing in royalty there isn't a lot which can be done against the aristocracy. The only way these archaic laws can be changed is by first getting rid of the Royal family as they signify a link to the tradition of owning large states.
But with the country still believing in royalty there isn't a lot which can be done against the aristocracy. The only way these archaic laws can be changed is by first getting rid of the Royal family as they signify a link to the tradition of owning large states.
February 12, 2021
An FT reporter once asked the Duke of Westminster what advice he’d give to young British entrepreneurs keen to emulate his success. His reply remains notorious for its insight into British society:
I have to wonder, though, whether the Duke of Westminster in making his notorious comment was perhaps being a little coy or even trying to deflect attention away from the source of his great wealth, the Grosvenor Estate, comprising land that is now the ritziest part of London - Mayfair, Belgravia, Grosvenor Square and the rest of it.
If we look at the Wikipedia article for Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet, the first aristocratic owner of the Grosvenor Estate which passed down to the Duke of Westminster, we find that it was not his ancestral friendships with William the Conqueror which made him rich, but rather inheritance of the Estate from a certain Ms Mary Davies.*
And who was this Ms Mary Davies to be so wealthy one may wonder? A Royal Princess perhaps? A friend of Dukes and Earls? Or, dare I suggest it, even the King’s mistress?
Indeed not. Ms Mary Davies was a twelve year old girl when she married the good Baronet and the daughter of a “scrivener” - a somewhat second grade lawyer. As the same Wikipedia article conveniently explains in a section copied from it on 12 February 2021 at 10:15am Tokyo time:
Unfortunately I can’t provide a link to my comment as it was deleted within a few hours of its being posted, despite no obvious infringement of the FT’s moderation guidelines. Although I have no proof, I can only suspect the involvement of the dead hand of Grosvenor Estates’ public relations department who might, perhaps, also keep an eye on Wikipedia.
Who owns Britain? A good question, and it looks like there are people about who would have it that you still don’t know the answer.
*NOTE: I later found that the family of the Baronet claimed succession from Hugh Lupus, first Earl of Chester, and one of William the Conqueror's foremost knights, so the Duke of Westminster’s comment was rather more nuanced than I first thought.
“Make sure they have an ancestor who was a very close friend of William the Conqueror”Briefly, the registration of land ownership in the United Kingdom is only required on transfer, so the ownership of land that hasn’t changed hands for many generations - since it was handed out by William the Conqueror to his close friends back in 1066 for example - remains a mystery to most of the citizens of the country.
I have to wonder, though, whether the Duke of Westminster in making his notorious comment was perhaps being a little coy or even trying to deflect attention away from the source of his great wealth, the Grosvenor Estate, comprising land that is now the ritziest part of London - Mayfair, Belgravia, Grosvenor Square and the rest of it.
If we look at the Wikipedia article for Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet, the first aristocratic owner of the Grosvenor Estate which passed down to the Duke of Westminster, we find that it was not his ancestral friendships with William the Conqueror which made him rich, but rather inheritance of the Estate from a certain Ms Mary Davies.*
And who was this Ms Mary Davies to be so wealthy one may wonder? A Royal Princess perhaps? A friend of Dukes and Earls? Or, dare I suggest it, even the King’s mistress?
Indeed not. Ms Mary Davies was a twelve year old girl when she married the good Baronet and the daughter of a “scrivener” - a somewhat second grade lawyer. As the same Wikipedia article conveniently explains in a section copied from it on 12 February 2021 at 10:15am Tokyo time:
“...Grosvenor married in 1677; he was aged 21, and his wife, Mary Davies, was only 12 years old. The marriage was arranged by their families in a manner and at an age which was quite normal in England in that era; it proved to be harmonious and conventional…”We think that the lady doth protest too much. This isn’t what the same Wikipedia article said about the good Baronet and his marriage to Mary Davies a couple of years ago when I last looked at it. Instead a rather fuller picture was given, such as contained in this article or more fully here. To quote:
Mary gave her husband Sir Grosvenor, three sons and after he died she inherited a lifetime’s interest in the estate which left her both incredibly wealthy and incredibly vulnerable. For reasons unknown, Mary fled to Paris in 1701 at the age of thirty-six and married a Roman Catholic, Edward Fenwick who was the brother of a rector who had lived with the family on the Grosvenor family estate.“Harmless and conventional” doesn’t quite seem to tell the whole story, and I know that the same Wikipedia article used to give a more complete picture of Mary’s life because I once quoted from it in a comment I posted to the Financial Times website under a story on the Grosvenor Estate.
Mary and Edward remained in Paris for the next four years while the Grosvenor family fought to have the marriage annulled on the grounds of their mother’s supposed “insanity”. They had the forty year old Mary committed to a Lunatic Asylum which was where rich families placed difficult and willful women in the 18th Century. We hear nothing more of Mary except that she eventually died alone in the lunatic asylum.
Unfortunately I can’t provide a link to my comment as it was deleted within a few hours of its being posted, despite no obvious infringement of the FT’s moderation guidelines. Although I have no proof, I can only suspect the involvement of the dead hand of Grosvenor Estates’ public relations department who might, perhaps, also keep an eye on Wikipedia.
Who owns Britain? A good question, and it looks like there are people about who would have it that you still don’t know the answer.
*NOTE: I later found that the family of the Baronet claimed succession from Hugh Lupus, first Earl of Chester, and one of William the Conqueror's foremost knights, so the Duke of Westminster’s comment was rather more nuanced than I first thought.
October 23, 2019
The question, who owns England? is such a simple question. And yet the answer to this is one of our country’s oldest and best-kept secrets. And the keepers of those secrets? Our ancient aristocracy and elite, who between them own vast swathes of our land. So much so, that only 1% (yes one per cent) of the population of the country owns 50% of the land. The Land Registry only knows for definite around 83% of the actual owners of the land of England.
To understand how we are in this situation you have to head back in our history nearly 1000 years, to the time when William the Bastard became William the Conqueror. His victory over Harold allowed him to have the largest land grab and to reward favourite people in his court with lands and property. He commissioned the Doomsday report, to ensure that he hadn’t missed any land that could be of some benefit to the crown.
Some of the descendants of those people granted land by William still own it.
The Crown owns large tracts, as you’d expect and pays tax on the income from those lands. However, it uses its two Duchy’s (Cornwall and Lancaster) to ensure that it isn’t paying tax on other vast swathes of land it has spread all around the country. A lot of land is owned by organisations like the National Trust, the Forestry Commission, the Church owns a lot too, but not as much as they used to, plus other big businesses now own substantial amounts. However, most of the elite and aristocracy don’t want people knowing how much land they have nor do they want you to know how much they are able to claim in benefits from it. They have built walls, moved villages and used the enclosure acts to steal the common land for their own use. All to stop us discovering exactly how much they own.
They now use modern tools to hide their assets away from us and the taxman, so he discovers that lots of land is now owned by shell companies based in tax havens. But the same tools that enable them to do this, can be used to answer the question posed; who owns England? Guy Shrubsole has spent lots of time exploring some of the vast estates and tramping over moors and entering empty Mayfair mansions as well as using the modern tools of digital mapping to answer this question.
This book is his expose of the truths of land ownership and what we can do to wrestle back control of this very limited asset. He has a lot of sensible suggestions on how we can ensure that this tiny elite are no longer the sole beneficiaries of the wealth and power that is derived from land. This struggle will be a long and tedious one as these people will not want to give up land that they have held for time immemorial. He is impassioned about this subject and writes in a very clear way with very well thought out solutions to solve the problem. As you read it you can sense his fury that in the modern age this is still an issue.
It is a must-read for anyone remotely interested in our countryside and landscapes and a call to virtual arms to apply the pressure needed to change the system for the better.
To understand how we are in this situation you have to head back in our history nearly 1000 years, to the time when William the Bastard became William the Conqueror. His victory over Harold allowed him to have the largest land grab and to reward favourite people in his court with lands and property. He commissioned the Doomsday report, to ensure that he hadn’t missed any land that could be of some benefit to the crown.
Some of the descendants of those people granted land by William still own it.
The Crown owns large tracts, as you’d expect and pays tax on the income from those lands. However, it uses its two Duchy’s (Cornwall and Lancaster) to ensure that it isn’t paying tax on other vast swathes of land it has spread all around the country. A lot of land is owned by organisations like the National Trust, the Forestry Commission, the Church owns a lot too, but not as much as they used to, plus other big businesses now own substantial amounts. However, most of the elite and aristocracy don’t want people knowing how much land they have nor do they want you to know how much they are able to claim in benefits from it. They have built walls, moved villages and used the enclosure acts to steal the common land for their own use. All to stop us discovering exactly how much they own.
They now use modern tools to hide their assets away from us and the taxman, so he discovers that lots of land is now owned by shell companies based in tax havens. But the same tools that enable them to do this, can be used to answer the question posed; who owns England? Guy Shrubsole has spent lots of time exploring some of the vast estates and tramping over moors and entering empty Mayfair mansions as well as using the modern tools of digital mapping to answer this question.
This book is his expose of the truths of land ownership and what we can do to wrestle back control of this very limited asset. He has a lot of sensible suggestions on how we can ensure that this tiny elite are no longer the sole beneficiaries of the wealth and power that is derived from land. This struggle will be a long and tedious one as these people will not want to give up land that they have held for time immemorial. He is impassioned about this subject and writes in a very clear way with very well thought out solutions to solve the problem. As you read it you can sense his fury that in the modern age this is still an issue.
It is a must-read for anyone remotely interested in our countryside and landscapes and a call to virtual arms to apply the pressure needed to change the system for the better.
October 20, 2024
I FINISHED THIS FUCKING BOOK. Guy I have met you multiple times now and you’re generally pretty sound. This book was a lot tho. Great research great topic great raising awareness of a big thing not enough people know about… however even upon finishing it I still don’t feel like I know about it. Perhaps had I started this book after beginning my current line of work it would’ve been a bit easier to digest… for now I am incredibly pleased to be done with it and will try reading the one about trees instead 👍🏻
December 13, 2019
I had been waiting to read this for some time, and in a telling manner, so has most of the general public (there has been a waiting list for reservation of this book from my local library for months!!)
As I already suspected before reading, the rich toffs with the money and the power and the influence own waayyy more land than they should!!! As Guy Shrubsole points out, since Norman the Conqueror started his fuckery back in 1066, the division and ownership of land has never been the same since. The landed gentry and those with influential money families have consistently eaten up the English landscape, caring not a jot about wildlife, nature, sustainability or preservation (there is one mentioned exception, how depressing!)
Farms owned by the Crown and wealthy landowners get hundreds of thousands of pounds every year in farm subsidies!!! Even when they're not actively farming, they just need to own the land, and the more land they own, the more dosh they get!!!!!!!! What a positively screwy system!!!
And don't even get me started on the c*n*s who own hundreds of thousands of acres of grouse moors, who shoot and poison harrier hens and other raptors to preserve their sacred birds who are reared purely to be shot down by interbred motherfuckers with an overrated interest in tweed!!!
And then offshore tax haven investors who have bought up countless high end properties in the country's capital, only to have them sitting empty and crumbling away whilst the sheikh/Russian gangster/footballer/shady conglomerate waits for a big fat profit to sell on; all the while thousands sleep rough and die on the streets for lack of affordable housing.
This book got me very very angry and rightly so. Like Shrubsole points out, us povs work hard for our money and never have anything to show for it due to a shit system geared to the aristocracy. The land is ours and it's time to take it back, yes sir indeed!!!!
As I already suspected before reading, the rich toffs with the money and the power and the influence own waayyy more land than they should!!! As Guy Shrubsole points out, since Norman the Conqueror started his fuckery back in 1066, the division and ownership of land has never been the same since. The landed gentry and those with influential money families have consistently eaten up the English landscape, caring not a jot about wildlife, nature, sustainability or preservation (there is one mentioned exception, how depressing!)
Farms owned by the Crown and wealthy landowners get hundreds of thousands of pounds every year in farm subsidies!!! Even when they're not actively farming, they just need to own the land, and the more land they own, the more dosh they get!!!!!!!! What a positively screwy system!!!
And don't even get me started on the c*n*s who own hundreds of thousands of acres of grouse moors, who shoot and poison harrier hens and other raptors to preserve their sacred birds who are reared purely to be shot down by interbred motherfuckers with an overrated interest in tweed!!!
And then offshore tax haven investors who have bought up countless high end properties in the country's capital, only to have them sitting empty and crumbling away whilst the sheikh/Russian gangster/footballer/shady conglomerate waits for a big fat profit to sell on; all the while thousands sleep rough and die on the streets for lack of affordable housing.
This book got me very very angry and rightly so. Like Shrubsole points out, us povs work hard for our money and never have anything to show for it due to a shit system geared to the aristocracy. The land is ours and it's time to take it back, yes sir indeed!!!!
September 30, 2019
As an analysis of land ownership in England, it delivers what the title promises. Driven by righteous anger at the exclusivity and secrecy of England's land ownership, it is passionate but can feel a bit like being hit repeatedly over the head with a blunt instrument.
April 11, 2025
Land reform now. Bring out the guillotines. I want my right to roam
December 18, 2020
An interesting read, which sheds new light on the state of land in England and what needs to be done to bring rights and equality to all of us who live amongst this nations' rich and diverse landscape.
Some interesting topics are covered within this book and a comprehensive breakdown of how England is divided up is covered, from the new money plutocrats who have brought vast estates within the English countryside, to the waning public sector - a body who is supposed to exist for the benefit of us, the people, but instead has been ruthlessly privatised and diminished under the guise of Neo-liberalism, since the 1980's and now only owns roughly 8.5% of our nation.
However, perhaps the most interesting question raised within this book, is whether England has ever really thrown off the shackles of feudalism; as in 1066 William the Conquerer divided roughly half of the land in England between 200 Barons and now today, their descendants, the aristocracy and gentry (numbering around 2000 people) still own roughly 30% of land within England. This a shocking statistic, when it is considered that the weight of public discourse in the 21st century, is that the aristocracy is all but extinct!
Overall, 'Who Owns England?' paints a sobering picture of how unequal England remains in the present day and how much of this is from the power that owning land holds. The book concludes with a call to action for land reform, laying out some key actions which should be campaigned for. Without giving much more away, this book is essential reading for those interested in learning about land throughout England's past and what we can do to bring the right to land into the public eye, for everyone to benefit from. This land is our land!
Some interesting topics are covered within this book and a comprehensive breakdown of how England is divided up is covered, from the new money plutocrats who have brought vast estates within the English countryside, to the waning public sector - a body who is supposed to exist for the benefit of us, the people, but instead has been ruthlessly privatised and diminished under the guise of Neo-liberalism, since the 1980's and now only owns roughly 8.5% of our nation.
However, perhaps the most interesting question raised within this book, is whether England has ever really thrown off the shackles of feudalism; as in 1066 William the Conquerer divided roughly half of the land in England between 200 Barons and now today, their descendants, the aristocracy and gentry (numbering around 2000 people) still own roughly 30% of land within England. This a shocking statistic, when it is considered that the weight of public discourse in the 21st century, is that the aristocracy is all but extinct!
Overall, 'Who Owns England?' paints a sobering picture of how unequal England remains in the present day and how much of this is from the power that owning land holds. The book concludes with a call to action for land reform, laying out some key actions which should be campaigned for. Without giving much more away, this book is essential reading for those interested in learning about land throughout England's past and what we can do to bring the right to land into the public eye, for everyone to benefit from. This land is our land!
May 14, 2021
Well researched and dense because of it, this is probably going to need to be revisited. It is esoteric and often a little dry in parts (as might be expected from a book on land rights) but vital for anyone living in England and probably somewhat relevant for those living in the United Kingdom as a whole. I think it would be pretty boring and irrelevant for anyone else though.
It made me angry at times (as expected/intended) and renewed my desire to get involved with land rights activism. I appreciated the resources given and, since I listened to the audiobook, will likely buy a physical copy so I can more easily access the supporting information at the back of the book.
It made me angry at times (as expected/intended) and renewed my desire to get involved with land rights activism. I appreciated the resources given and, since I listened to the audiobook, will likely buy a physical copy so I can more easily access the supporting information at the back of the book.
July 9, 2020
Objectively 5 stars, subjectively 4 stars because I feel like to get the most out of this I need to go back through this and take a copious amount of notes
V interesting & relevant to my degree, esp land law
V interesting & relevant to my degree, esp land law
January 1, 2025
Relatively easy to read, apart from the gasps of "Really?" and a few head in hands moments at the shocking state of England. One of which is that aristocrats don't permit inheritance of land to women ... but the main one being (and sorry if this is a spoiler for you) but Shrubsole extrapolates that half of England is owned by just 25,000 people, less than 1% of the population.
Importantly, he elegantly contextualises why this matters to you and I. This places an obscene amount of power in a tiny proportion of the rich with respect to what happens on that land, be that aggressive agricultural practices such as prolific use of pesticides; land banking, which takes up space where councils could otherwise build affordable homes; using it to opaquely hoard wealth and to pass it on tax-free; and sometimes straight up destroying Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Land reform and greater transparency isn't just important for people to have somewhere nice to walk (as I heard a fellow socialist put it recently), it is a central necessity for solving the housing, farming/food security, inequality and ecological crises we face today. Good ammunition for much needed direct action.
Importantly, he elegantly contextualises why this matters to you and I. This places an obscene amount of power in a tiny proportion of the rich with respect to what happens on that land, be that aggressive agricultural practices such as prolific use of pesticides; land banking, which takes up space where councils could otherwise build affordable homes; using it to opaquely hoard wealth and to pass it on tax-free; and sometimes straight up destroying Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Land reform and greater transparency isn't just important for people to have somewhere nice to walk (as I heard a fellow socialist put it recently), it is a central necessity for solving the housing, farming/food security, inequality and ecological crises we face today. Good ammunition for much needed direct action.
April 10, 2021
Russian oligarchs, the Crown,the Duke of Westminster, corporations, millionaires, councils; they're all at it. Land ownership in the UK has a long history of privilege protecting its secretive assets.
So the recent move to privatise the Land Registry is no surprise,and this book uses data obtained from a variety of sources to show how private wealth is tied up in land (see the accompanying website: https://whoownsengland.org/) .
Gerrard Winstanley (who led the 17th century movement the Diggers to found a failed agricultural commune on St.George's Hill,Surrey) would have spun in his grave to see what St.George's Hill became today,a gated community for the super-rich.
UK = not a 'common treasury for all', then.
So the recent move to privatise the Land Registry is no surprise,and this book uses data obtained from a variety of sources to show how private wealth is tied up in land (see the accompanying website: https://whoownsengland.org/) .
Gerrard Winstanley (who led the 17th century movement the Diggers to found a failed agricultural commune on St.George's Hill,Surrey) would have spun in his grave to see what St.George's Hill became today,a gated community for the super-rich.
UK = not a 'common treasury for all', then.
June 12, 2019
Shrubsole tells the story over ownership of Englands soil that was totally unknown to me. It gives a - by times - shocking insight in how the country functions (or dysfunctions if you will) on the terrain of housing, farming, roaming, etc. Also it gives insight in the inheritance of feudalism a mere 1000 years after William the Conqueror 'made' England. There hasn't been much change... Shrubsole gives hope en guidance, maybe a little too much in the way of a dreamer, but, maybe it is necessary to dream for a better world where every Britton feels and knows that 'this land is his/her land'....?
June 5, 2019
This is a really important book. Many on the left, from Karl Marx onward have sought to understand how capitalism developed and what this meant for the land and its people. But who came to own the land as a result of that process has profound consequences for people today. Guy Shrubsole's book is written with humour and anger and offers a viable alternative. It is an essential read and I highly recommend it.
My full review on the blog: http://resolutereader.blogspot.com/20...
My full review on the blog: http://resolutereader.blogspot.com/20...
December 29, 2020
An essential read for those struggling to get on the housing ladder, frustrated by 'Private Land' signs whilst out walking and for those dismayed at the barren countryside paralysed as ecological deserts. This book perfectly explains how these situations have come to pass and how they are entwined with who owns land in the England.
July 13, 2019
A good book that is an easy ready even though it took me longer to reas than I would have liked. Becomes a bit repetitive in parts, but has good thoughts on land reform and argues convincingly why this is such an urgent topic to tackle...
August 30, 2021
A must read for anyone interested in equality, sustainability or wellbeing. Heavy going at times but forensically researched and full of passion, a sense of injustice and ideas about what we need to do.
May 25, 2020
Took me a few weeks to get through, but loved it. Eye-opener for me, keen to read more around this.
June 15, 2020
An extremely interesting, shocking and important book. Highlights the many injustices in land ownership.
June 21, 2021
really insightful and enlightening, often enraging, shockingly moving in places. what an idiotic, archaic little country, what potential to be fairer and wilder and better
August 27, 2019
In Who Owns England, Guy Shrubsole describes how his campaigning interests – from environmental damage on agricultural land to housing shortages in London – led him to wonder who owns the land in England. Getting an answer proved difficult which made him all the more determined to pursue the subject. He and data journalist Anna Powell-Smith have detailed their research on the Who Owns England blog and he expands on the subject in this book.
He begins with the historical context and the Domesday Book, in which William the Conqueror compiled an inventory of the country he had conquered. Significant land holdings were giving to those who had helped him achieve power and their heirs.
Shrubsole estimates that 30% of all England’s land is still owned by the aristocracy and gentry. The 6th Duke of Westminster at least had the grace to admit that he hadn’t become Britain’s biggest landowner by the sweat of his brow. When asked what advice he would give to young entrepreneurs, the billionaire said, “Make sure they have an ancestor who was a very close friend of William the Conqueror”. When he died he passed his entire estate to his then 25-year-old son who is currently the subject of a campaign by activists.
Shrubsole’s analysis shows how land that has been taken over generations, by conquest, by forced enclosure, by repression, continues to be protected by complicit (or cowed) governments, and that, despite the public perception that the gentry has fallen into decay and handed it all over to the National Trust, many of them are doing very nicely.
Then there is publicly owned land, which could be used for the public good, but is being steadily sold off, either by a central government with an ideological agenda, or local authorities desperate for cash. There are the landownings of the royal family and the Crown and the church. There is land owned by wealthy individuals and corporations, including pension funds.
Land is a uniquely valuable asset. Shrubsole quotes Mark Twain: “they aren’t making it any more”. Landowners can also experience gains in value through the action of others — for example if new transport infrastructure is built nearby. However, these qualities are not recognised in the tax system. Instead, landowners receive additional benefits.
Many receive agricultural subsidies which are paid simply for owning land (including environmentally damaging grouse moors), with no obligation to benefit taxpayers or the environment. They can use trusts and offshore ownership arrangements to avoid taxation or scrutiny (sometimes while also receiving subsidies). Properties in high-demand areas such as central London are left empty, treated as ‘investments’, and complicated ownership arrangements mean they may be bought with laundered money.
There is an impressive amount of research and information in Who Owns England, presented in an accessible way. Shrubsole gives an insight into the work that he and others have done to unearth this knowledge, and explains what they have been unable to find out.
He brings the material alive with examples and anecdotes, beginning with his childhood memories of West Berkshire, an apparently affluent, leafy county, but one riven by divisions by the Greenham Common airbase, and the Newbury bypass. Both spurred iconic protests and both are, in a sense, about land and who owns and controls it. Newbury MP and former environment minister Richard Benyon is also a wealthy landowner.
It’s easy to despair but what I love about this book is that Shrubsole is angry but also positive and determined. His final chapter is an agenda for English land reform, a series of proposals to make land ownership more open, fair, and widely distributed.
Read more of my reviews on my blog katevane.com/blog
He begins with the historical context and the Domesday Book, in which William the Conqueror compiled an inventory of the country he had conquered. Significant land holdings were giving to those who had helped him achieve power and their heirs.
Shrubsole estimates that 30% of all England’s land is still owned by the aristocracy and gentry. The 6th Duke of Westminster at least had the grace to admit that he hadn’t become Britain’s biggest landowner by the sweat of his brow. When asked what advice he would give to young entrepreneurs, the billionaire said, “Make sure they have an ancestor who was a very close friend of William the Conqueror”. When he died he passed his entire estate to his then 25-year-old son who is currently the subject of a campaign by activists.
Shrubsole’s analysis shows how land that has been taken over generations, by conquest, by forced enclosure, by repression, continues to be protected by complicit (or cowed) governments, and that, despite the public perception that the gentry has fallen into decay and handed it all over to the National Trust, many of them are doing very nicely.
Then there is publicly owned land, which could be used for the public good, but is being steadily sold off, either by a central government with an ideological agenda, or local authorities desperate for cash. There are the landownings of the royal family and the Crown and the church. There is land owned by wealthy individuals and corporations, including pension funds.
Land is a uniquely valuable asset. Shrubsole quotes Mark Twain: “they aren’t making it any more”. Landowners can also experience gains in value through the action of others — for example if new transport infrastructure is built nearby. However, these qualities are not recognised in the tax system. Instead, landowners receive additional benefits.
Many receive agricultural subsidies which are paid simply for owning land (including environmentally damaging grouse moors), with no obligation to benefit taxpayers or the environment. They can use trusts and offshore ownership arrangements to avoid taxation or scrutiny (sometimes while also receiving subsidies). Properties in high-demand areas such as central London are left empty, treated as ‘investments’, and complicated ownership arrangements mean they may be bought with laundered money.
There is an impressive amount of research and information in Who Owns England, presented in an accessible way. Shrubsole gives an insight into the work that he and others have done to unearth this knowledge, and explains what they have been unable to find out.
He brings the material alive with examples and anecdotes, beginning with his childhood memories of West Berkshire, an apparently affluent, leafy county, but one riven by divisions by the Greenham Common airbase, and the Newbury bypass. Both spurred iconic protests and both are, in a sense, about land and who owns and controls it. Newbury MP and former environment minister Richard Benyon is also a wealthy landowner.
It’s easy to despair but what I love about this book is that Shrubsole is angry but also positive and determined. His final chapter is an agenda for English land reform, a series of proposals to make land ownership more open, fair, and widely distributed.
Read more of my reviews on my blog katevane.com/blog
September 21, 2022
This is an exhaustively researched labour of love, but the argument has a fatal flaw. It’s a book about the extent of ownership in absolute terms (who owns what percentage) but this really isn’t the point.
As the author himself notes, the crown derives more income from leasing Apple’s flagship store on Regent Street than from its entire agricultural holdings. The size of a parcel of land is not the key factor. And it’s also inadequate to just look at freehold ownership, when leases are both extremely valuable and powerful curbs on freeholders’ rights. Take home ownership, which is by far the most significant aspect of English landholding, although it covers a small geographic area and is often leasehold. There are still extremely high levels of home ownership in England, but this crucial point doesn’t fit with the argument and it is overlooked.
The book doesn’t challenge the notion of land ownership per se. Instead, as is increasingly common post-Piketty, it’s really an argument for fairer distribution. Sometimes this touches on jingoism, and sometimes it leads to absurd demands (restoring gravelkind succession rights to female aristocrats). But ultimately it gives a sense that what the author really wants is a return to some sort of system of smallholding, which isn’t really appropriate to post-industrial societies.
There are grasps at disparate bits of theory (Doreen Massey, David Harvey, Adam Smith) but it’s clear that they haven’t really been understood, and the author doesn’t engage with them beyond citing the odd line.
I have no time for the ‘feudalism still exists’ argument, which one sometimes sees from both XR-types, freemen-on-the-land conspiracists, and the significant overlap between the two. Just because something looks a bit feudal, because a landowner has a title, doesn’t mean that present conditions aren’t deeply capitalist. They need to be understood as such. It’s also ahistorical to claim much of a meaningful link between contemporary land ownership and grants from William the Conqueror.
Finally, and unforgivably, the referencing is a disgrace. The ‘notes’ section at the end of the book has numbered footnotes. Each one begins not with the source, but with the words from the body of the text that had originally been a hyperlink. And in the body of the text itself, there is nothing to indicate that there *are* any footnotes: the hyperlinks have been removed, but footnote numbers have not been inserted. The numbers in the ‘notes’ section don’t even correspond to anything. It’s a nightmare to use, and it’s astonishing that such laziness went to press.
As the author himself notes, the crown derives more income from leasing Apple’s flagship store on Regent Street than from its entire agricultural holdings. The size of a parcel of land is not the key factor. And it’s also inadequate to just look at freehold ownership, when leases are both extremely valuable and powerful curbs on freeholders’ rights. Take home ownership, which is by far the most significant aspect of English landholding, although it covers a small geographic area and is often leasehold. There are still extremely high levels of home ownership in England, but this crucial point doesn’t fit with the argument and it is overlooked.
The book doesn’t challenge the notion of land ownership per se. Instead, as is increasingly common post-Piketty, it’s really an argument for fairer distribution. Sometimes this touches on jingoism, and sometimes it leads to absurd demands (restoring gravelkind succession rights to female aristocrats). But ultimately it gives a sense that what the author really wants is a return to some sort of system of smallholding, which isn’t really appropriate to post-industrial societies.
There are grasps at disparate bits of theory (Doreen Massey, David Harvey, Adam Smith) but it’s clear that they haven’t really been understood, and the author doesn’t engage with them beyond citing the odd line.
I have no time for the ‘feudalism still exists’ argument, which one sometimes sees from both XR-types, freemen-on-the-land conspiracists, and the significant overlap between the two. Just because something looks a bit feudal, because a landowner has a title, doesn’t mean that present conditions aren’t deeply capitalist. They need to be understood as such. It’s also ahistorical to claim much of a meaningful link between contemporary land ownership and grants from William the Conqueror.
Finally, and unforgivably, the referencing is a disgrace. The ‘notes’ section at the end of the book has numbered footnotes. Each one begins not with the source, but with the words from the body of the text that had originally been a hyperlink. And in the body of the text itself, there is nothing to indicate that there *are* any footnotes: the hyperlinks have been removed, but footnote numbers have not been inserted. The numbers in the ‘notes’ section don’t even correspond to anything. It’s a nightmare to use, and it’s astonishing that such laziness went to press.
April 18, 2025
I wish I’d read this book before. There are lots of detailed statistics to take on board and digest - about areas owned by royalty, aristocratic landowners, public and private sector landowners, including, eg the National Trust, Forestry Commission, the Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB.
Also much political and economic stuff - including the privatisation of organisations such as the water companies.
The Crown owns about 1 million acres of land in England. Good trivial fact about the Crown’s portfolio… “There’s much more money to be made from Apple iPhones than from apples. Crown estates earns more rental income from Apple’s flagship store on Regent Street than it does from its entire agricultural estate.”
Also much political and economic stuff - including the privatisation of organisations such as the water companies.
The Crown owns about 1 million acres of land in England. Good trivial fact about the Crown’s portfolio… “There’s much more money to be made from Apple iPhones than from apples. Crown estates earns more rental income from Apple’s flagship store on Regent Street than it does from its entire agricultural estate.”
March 3, 2021
was OK, didn't add much to the blog - fair bit of like, expanding on the blog's findings with potted histories of other stuff (the whole housing section is just a Municipal Dreams/Owen Hatherley remix). really interesting findings about the very aggravating land situation in this country though so still worthwhile. would have appreciated a better look at international comparisons - e.g. he says France just lets you rock up to a cadastre and ask for info but omits that none of it is available online and that's subject to delays and queues and all sorts of hassle which is in some ways, worse than a £3 fee imo.
July 26, 2024
Someone get this man a job in government, not that I know he wants one, but with him in charge, change would actually happen.
It took me a wee while to read this one as there's a lot to contemplate and understand but unlike other books I've read calling for action, Shrubsole actually tells you us how to tackle the many crises we face today including the housing and climate crises.
Allotments - 'It may not sound like much, but when you think about it, a legal right to demand land on which to grow your food is a revolutionary idea.'
It took me a wee while to read this one as there's a lot to contemplate and understand but unlike other books I've read calling for action, Shrubsole actually tells you us how to tackle the many crises we face today including the housing and climate crises.
Allotments - 'It may not sound like much, but when you think about it, a legal right to demand land on which to grow your food is a revolutionary idea.'
December 12, 2024
One of the best books I've read this year. I knew a lot of land was owned by the royals and other big rich people but I never realised how secretive it all is. Everyone needs to read this, was a perfect book for sitting reading by rivers on walks too.
October 12, 2020
Who do you think owns England's fields? Hedge funds.
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