![](/media/0uyf3yng/e1c570dfb7bf11eabacf87254be58c7c.jpg?width=1002&height=668&bgcolor=White&v=1da4d5e716fd530)
Hard to believe now, but English food was once glorious, and famous even in France! It was hundreds of years ago of course - in the time of the Plantagenets. Henry VIII gave us our first setback. Wanting to throw out everything Catholic, he banned 'Catholic', 'frenchified' food, and so under the new Protestantism, food became plainer. Cooking the great dishes of yore could cost you your neck, and they were eventually forgotten. However, many people still ate pretty well, using their own crops and animals.
The real disaster came with Enclosures and the Industrial Revolution from the late 18th century. As the lords enclosed the common land, there was nowhere for villagers to graze their animals or grow crops. Facing starvation, thousands fled to the burgeoning industrial towns in search of jobs in the new factories and mines. But the housing there was appalling, with no sanitation, no land and often no kitchens.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here