A Brief History of Agriculture in The UK

By April 17, 2019Blog

At JH Willis & Son, we have a deep connection with the agricultural heritage of the UK. We work with a wide variety of small and large farms and have been in operation since 1942. This deep connection with British agriculture means that we understand all of the age-old traditions and cultures of rural Britain. Read on to explore a brief history of this nation’s rich agricultural heritage.

The British Agricultural Revolution

During a 200-year period in Britain between the 1600s and the 1800s, the country went through an astonishing rise of agriculture due to an increase in population and a sharp incline in land productivity. This inflation of food supply consequently increased the population by nearly double over a period of just 100 years.

The Development of Techniques and Tools

One of the most crucial innovations which helped to fuel this growth was the idea of crop rotation. This practice involves growing a number of different crops in the same location over a number of seasons, which helps fight against the pests that can ruin the soil when only one type of crop is grown in one area. This process also helped to renew the health of the soil by switching between shallow and deep-rooted plants alternatively.

Tools, like ploughs which originated in China, were improved upon by Europeans and then brought to the UK, were also a defining reason for an increase in productivity. By making the work easier, crop yields were free to balloon.

The Rise of Machinery

After centuries of using hand-held and horse-drawn tools, another important development came with the dawn of the industrial revolution. The invention of complex machinery, which could vastly speed up agricultural processes and reduce the amount of manual labour, massively improved the industry and again increased yields. These developments came right at the end of the 19th century and heralded in a period of agriculture which is far more recognisable today.

Manage Your Agricultural Waste in Chester With JH Willis & Son

As a licensed waste management company in Chester, we work very closely with regulatory bodies such as the Environment Agency, Cheshire County and Environmental health to ensure that all of our waste disposal services are performed responsibly.

We also provide a wide range of agricultural services, including muck spreading, power harrowing, subsoiling and pasture maintenance amongst others.

To find out more, contact us. You can find us at Holme Farm, Ince, Nr Chester, Cheshire, CH2 4NR or call us on 0151 356 0351.