Project Ideas
The Diggers were a seventeenth century movement for change which had its roots in earlier times of hunger and unrest. The economic conditions of 1648-50 were especially harsh for the poor. Low crop production and rising food cost impacted everyone. Common folk were establishing agrarian communities all across England to cultivate the public lands for food. The poor were going hungry, and the land was there. The winter of 1649/50 was one of the worst on record and carried well into early Spring of 1650. Unemployment was very high, food was scarce and expensive, some areas bordered on possible riots.
Does any of this sound familiar?
We think it is time for a new Diggers movement.
If you are interested in the historical context, then the biography of John Lilburne, Freeborn John by Pauline Gregg (now sadly out of print), is an excellent source of information of one of the leaders of the movement, and the film Winstanley by Kevin Brownlow
Other resources: The English Dissenters website
