Acts of Enclosure (in England and Wales) dated to well before 1760. They were a feature of the later part of the reign of Henry VIII, and of Edward VI. They caused great dislocation in the countryside, leading to large numbers of beggars, and of people forced into the towns and cities.

As a rhyme of the time went,

"The Law will hang the man or woman
Who steals the goose from the common
But lets the greater villain loose
Who steals the common from the goose"

"Common" referred to "common land", used by all members of a community for grazing, or to gather reeds, turf, firewood etc. There are still areas named "such-and-such common".

In Wales, "Gwaun" was land with similar use, though it didn't have quite the same legal meaning.