The Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines that Divide Us

by Nick Hayes

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA GUARDIAN, I AND SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION 2021'Brilliant, passionate and political . . . The Book of Trespass will make you see landscapes differently' Robert Macfarlane'A remarkable and truly radical work, loaded with resonant truths' George MonbiotThe vast majority of our country is entirely unknown to us because we are banned from setting foot on it. By law of trespass, we are excluded from 92 per cent of the land and 97 per cent of its waterways, blocked by walls whose legitimacy is rarely questioned. But behind them lies a story of enclosure, exploitation and dispossession of public rights whose effects last to this day.The Book of Trespass takes us on a journey over the walls of England, into the thousands of square miles of rivers, woodland, lakes and meadows that are blocked from public access. By trespassing the land of the media magnates, Lords, politicians and private corporations that own England, Nick Hayes argues that the root of social inequality is the uneven distribution of land.Weaving together the stories of poachers, vagabonds, gypsies, witches, hippies, ravers, ramblers, migrants and protestors, and charting acts of civil disobedience that challenge orthodox power at its heart, The Book of Trespass will transform the way you see the land.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Politics, History, Environment, Travel, British Literature

450 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2020

About the author

Nick Hayes is the author of The Rime of the Modern Mariner, an updating of Coleridge’s famous poem, and the visual biography Woody Guthrie and the Dust Bowl Ballads, both of which are among the most highly regarded of recent British long-form comics. He has also published two collections of his short comics, Lovely Grey Day and 11 Folk Songs. He is the founding editor of Meat magazine, a periodical showcasing new writing, comics and illustration and has won two Guardian Media awards.

Reviews

[Verity Halliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book of Trespass is a compelling work of non-fiction, showing how the citizens of England have been robbed of our common land with the wealth moving inexorably from public good to private purse. I found the history so interesting, with walls changing from structures to keep livestock in, to barriers to keep people out. The country used to belong to the many, now it belongs to the few.

I enjoyed the narrator’s trespasses in each chapter and his small rebellions against the orthodoxy of “private land”. He has some ideas about how we can change the narrative and return rights back to the people, looking at historical acts like the Kinder Scout Trespass and at countries like Scotland, Sweden and Norway who do things differently and have public rights to roam.

A recommended read that gave me a lot to think about.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

[Snoakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Hayes is a serial trespasser. Every chapter of his marvellous book includes an illicit journey and often a night's wild camping in a place that is out-of-bounds to the public.  As 92 per cent of the land in England and 97 per cent of the waterways are banned to us, he really doesn't have to look far for places to explore.  As well as documenting these excursions the book is a mixture of the history of land enclosure, the politics of what he refers to as "the cult of exclusion" and the legal wranglings that have ensued, along with reminiscences about borders, barriers and fences such as his time spent volunteering at The Jungle in Calais.

He covers a myriad of topics such as fox hunting, the church, grouse moors, the Roma people and slavery.  As befits The Book of Trespass, it starts with the infamous Kinder Scout trespass in the 30s - a good jumping off point for a story about how the common man's right to the use of land has eroded over time to the narrow strip of a right of way.  He's not so much angered as deeply saddened by how the land of this beautiful country is owned and managed by the very few for their own personal profit. We are duped into accepting this by the media magnates, politicians and landed gentry whose own vested interests are being protected by the status quo, and yet his argument, eloquently stated, is that this model of land ownership is the very root of social inequality and that greater access to land benefits everyone.  His one attempt at trying to enter a dialogue with a seriously rich landowner to try to see another point of view fails - but are we as much to blame for our complicit obedience to sign and fence?

As well as some fascinating and well-reasoned arguments, there is some beatifully descriptive language to enjoy "...I stop to draw an enormous tree stump that looks like an inverted moon crater.  Inside it is an oasis of wet rot and green life, ferns and flowers, and as it apears on the page of my sketchbook it turns into a table-topped dormant volcano, a private Eden walled from the field by its bulky outer layer of crumbling cambium and hard bark", and some moments of pure comedy - such as the joyous description of his dog's ball-licking activities.

He argues that the Countryside Rights of Way (CRoW) Act has opened up nowhere near enough land to the public, describing the Open Access areas designated by the act as a "yellow wash, dribbled over England like small puddles of piss-all". However, he does finish with a note of positivity for the future, looking at other models of land rights.  For example, the Scottish Land Reform Act gives access rights for non-motorised activity to land not designated for schools, industry or national monuments.  There is also an increasing recognition that conservation shouldn't mean protecting sites from the public but instead encouraging people to reconnect with nature.  In short, you have to be engaged with something to give a toss about it.

It's an eye-opening, thought-provoking and frequently enraging read.  One of my books of the year - and thanks to Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read it.

[Catalina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fascinated and annoyed me in almost equal measure. It fascinated me because it's a nice mix of history, geography, law, anecdotes, gorgeous illustrations. I've learned a lot of things I was not aware of! But it annoyed me for the underlying sentiments like: if only land will belong to all of us we will be lifted out of poverty(as if all those communist countries were swimming in wealth!), trespass is alright cause all those owning land don't deserve it; borders only mattered since the 30 years war(cause you know all the wars happening since humanity settled were not over borders and land ...no, not at all!!); it's always the Daily Mail and conservative's fault for everything that's wrong in England and so on...
Don't get me wrong, I get some of what he's saying: too much land is concentrated in just a few hands. I always thought is very illogical for the land under your house to belong to someone else, to have to pay rent for it and extend your lease at enormous costs. For hills and rivers to belong to private individuals who exploit them excluding everyone else ... I also agree with the right of way and the right to roam within a reasonable distance from the owner's house. But I really cannot put up with the socialist ideals permeating the book, just because I happen to come from a country who was used as a Guinea pig for this doctrine and I know that what sounds good doesn't always equate good results and wealth for the common people!

*Read as a serialization on Thepigeonhole. Many thanks for the opportunity.

[Sophy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this started off well with a subject that's close to my heart, the ultra-wealthy hell bent on keeping us peasants out of their precious lands.

Hayes tackles the subject well and challenges the system that is loaded against us from day one. I have been on the receiving end of gamekeepers on quad bikes with shotguns, purely for walking in my local area, so I totally understand the sense of injustice that precludes us from simply walking in nature.

The book however is overly lengthy and starts to stray into the political more than once. Hayes's chapter on the immigration issues with French/English border feels a little naive in its outlook; things are never as cut and dried as portrayed here. I think the book could have done with being 50-100 pages shorter to be honest as the writing started to feel a little repetitive and tedious, even straying into quoting his mate Guy Shrubsole, author of Who Owns Britain.

Overall a good book, but in need of more editing and chopping!

[Alasdair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scooby Doo pulls off the mask of Property and wouldn't you know, it was old man Theft all along.

Really enjoyed this one. Is it a bit rambly? Sure. Did I have issues with a witchcraft section overly reliant on Silvia Federici's interpretations? Yeah, a bit. But overall it's a very readable look into the abysmal state of land access and public rights in England, and how it got that way.

The illustrations are also very nice.

[Amina Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be honest with you, I'm not much of a reader of non-fiction so in a bookstore I would totally have just walked pass the book. As it is, the book became available on Pigeonhole and the title and description of the book intrigued me so I signed up for it.

I am so glad I did because it turned out to be a brilliant read. There are so many new things about England and the land around us that I knew nothing about that. It was fascinating reading about how certain aristocrats and other such people came to own their lands (not in a fair way!).

It also made me sad how us 'common people' were walked all over when it comes to land ownership and how despite all this empty space around us you'll still hear the people higher up complain that we don't have enough space! The treatment of slaves was another heartbreaker!

I loved the way the book was written with a mix of law, history and personal anecdotes. I also loved the descriptiveness of the places our author visited. I loved the drawings Nick shared with us too. They were impressive.

This was a brilliant book and I would really urge everyone to read it!

Thank you to Pigeonhole and Nick Hayes for the chance to read this amazing book.

[Kelly Furniss · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very Informative book of thoughts, facts and myths. Trespass laws and lack of access to the countryside all exposed. I enjoyed the parts about land boundaries I had never thought of such as water.
Certainly interesting & thought provoking, quite a eye opener!.

[Jenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was lovely! 4 stars instead of 5 mainly partially because there were a little bit of issues with the audiobook (needed some proof.. uh.. listening) but mostly because I guess the laws in *England* specifically just aren't as interesting to me personally lol. But the ideas are good and I liked the mixture between quiet descriptions of walking and radical leftie politics.

[Stephen Goldenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well researched and entertaining history of private land ownership and inequality which has resulted in us being unable to roam freely across the vast majority of our country. Nick Hayes intersperses these historical facts with his own attempts to deliberately trespass on the private property of the obscenely wealthy.It reminded me of this old nursery rhyme:

They hang the man and flog the woman
That steal the goose from off the common,
But let the greater villain loose
That steals the common from the goose.

The law demands that we atone
When we take things we do not own,
But leaves the lords and ladies fine
Who take things that are yours and mine.

[Viv JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating and enjoyable piece of non-fiction writing. Part nature journal, part history book, part polemic. I learned all sorts of things about who owns the land in this country, how that happened and why a lot of it is so ridiculous. As a bonus, there are beautiful illustrations included. Highly recommended and a starting point for a lot of wormholes to travel down, I feel! And despite my inherently law-abiding nature, a definite inspiration to undertake a bit more trespassing :-)

[Jo Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It takes a chapter or so to get going, but then methodically and cheerfully picks apart the history of land ownership in England and why it's a massive lie. Hoorah!

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nick Hayes thinks he's edgy. He climbs fences and scales walls to wander through private estates by dark. He and his co-conspirators light fires, smoke joints, and drink beers under the noses of aristocrats. He smugly insults the Daily Mail whilst proudly telling tales of refugee camps. He even writes about slavery and institutional racism. All of these serve to confirm my hunch.

However, he writes informatively, and covers many interesting topics. There is a lot of curious history in this book, although often jumbled into assorted anecdotes designed to confirm his worldview. But, ultimately, I am never sure what Nick Hayes actually wants. Does he want these estates to be public access, or to have rights of way? Does he want common rights to firewood restored? At the end he seems to settle for land rights similar to Scotland, or Sweden, or Finland, or Norway - but then proceeds to state even a lesser goal will do. It's very unclear.

After all, the book quickly moves from "private property as construed today is a legacy of Norman oppression" to "all Manor houses are racist" very quickly. Hayes has a real tendency to overdramatise things. His hyperbole only works if you are totally naive to whatever random subject he is ranting about. No, aristocracy is not a eugenics project, but the similarity is close enough for this to become a confirmed fact in Hayes' eyes. I came here for a book about the land rights and tales of illegal camping. I ended up reading about modern race relations, sexual liberation, and why nationalism is a form of collective neurosis. I'm sure Nick Hayes felt transgressive writing those passages, but I find them monotonous, self-indulgent, and very 'urban hipster' for a countryside book. They also have little to do with land rights and trespassing.

Ultimately Nick Hayes just seems to hate aristocrats and enjoys camping hidden away in their personal woodlands. He simply wishes their land was his to enjoy. So, law be damned, enjoy it he does, and the moral argument follows suit. Sure, it's a fair point that so much of our countryside is owned by a handful of people, and sure our elite have a dark past, but I don't see a solution posed here. I just see a lot of vitriol and, hidden underneath, a more authentic yearning for something. That something might be an uninterrupted experience of our countryside. It might, though, be state ownership and public access to all land. It's never made clear. Alas, a walk in a country estate would be much nicer than a walk in the monoculture plantations of the forestry commission. Sadly, Nick Hayes is far too busy ranting about trendy political topics to ever give us anything substantial. The vast majority of this book reads like one long student activist tirade. If you want a book about land rights, trespassing, and the countryside, then - for the most part - this isn't one.

Post-script:
Oh dear. I wrote this review 150 pages in. I didn't need to alter much, just add and amend a few sentences. But as the book went on, I just about lost the will to live as I trawled through more student-politics-level propaganda and nonsense. It's safe to say that this book doesn't do what it says on the tin - at least not until you've already read 330 pages. Even if Nick Hayes wanted to get all political, he is overreliant on bombast and insult, mastering the art of making reasonable points in unreasonable ways. I'm sure, in a wonderful twist of irony, he'll provide enough confirmation bias to a certain crowd to continue milking this cash cow for what it's worth. Fair play to him, but it just renders this book even less interesting than it is at face value.

[Cordelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no doubt that the dude is cool and he did a hell of a lot of research that meant to a hell of a lot of info in this book. It just wasn’t written that well. I feel you do not need to peacock your knowledge of the slave trade and month of volunteering In Calais alongside talking about Mao’s revamp of the Great Wall and Donald Trump’s soundbites, to make your points about Land Reform.

Of course it was insightful to see where his mind went and seeing the connections of all those anecdotes. All of those things were important. But it didn’t read like one book. Particularly stirring did I find the account of Calais where he could dedicate 4 pages to his replay of the 2015 jungle getting tear gassed, but he couldn’t give 4 more to explain the situation there now. Because that wasn’t important for his book. But it meant there were hundreds of threads untied and lots of nuance lacking.

Laced in with his inch-deep dive into breadths of pop culture were his boring accounts of trespass where he intermittently described the tranquility of lying in the grass. How can the reader expect to be immersed in those moments when they’re only given a paragraph at a time, and then their mind is taken to some Anglo-Saxon folklore they’ve never heard of. The range of figures and events on the index says it all, no book should have that many different name drops side-by-side.

I wanted to enjoy it more and I will remain on the lookout for more books like it because I relished the tiny dips into exploration, land justice and anarchism. He’s just not a wordsmith.

[Colin Maclennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this book is a bit too long for the amount of substance it contains. Nevertheless the author makes lots of good points in discussions on a series of topics such as the ending of slavery and the financial bonus to former slave owners, the enclosure of common land, the anti nuclear protest at Greenham Common, and the restrictions on access to rivers in England. However there is a lot of padding around these discussions in the form of descriptions of the author’s trespasses. His intention is of course to open our eyes to the amount of England that is closed to the public. However, I found some of that a bit tedious, and skipped quite a lot of it. However, I was stimulated to make a donation to the latest Ramblers appeal! We can’t do much about the injustices that have led to the enclosure of so much of England, but at least we can support those who are defending what we have.

I think it is worth bearing in mind the words of Henry George, with which Nick Hayes opens his book,

“There have existed men who had the power to hold or to give exclusive possession of portions of the Earth’s surface, but where and when did there exist the human being that had the right?”

[Honey · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible book of sorts, traipsing through borders brought about by politics, colonisation, history and sense of entitlement. Makes up for a fascinating read especially in today’s climate. It’s almost a satire on how aristocracy continues to quash meritocracy, and it makes one want to go against the grain.

The author takes us on a trespassing journey each chapter with a focus on certain aspects of common law and inequalities. At times the flow can be a bit of a ramble (no puns here) but overall the writing is engaging and quite accessible.

Learned quite a lot as a land and property owner myself, particularly about what not to do and the privilege that comes with. Then again, I’m a mixed expat woman. I’m already halfway there.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very intelligent book and I learned a lot. It explores the question of property, land, land access and trespassing from multiple angles - from the exclusion of the working-class, privatisation of the commons, exclusion of Black people and women from property... It is very thorough and very detailed. I found the chapters where he explores different areas long at times, sometimes a bit repetitive, but the historical research itself was wonderful and incredibly engaging.

(Free ARC from Netgalley)

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A frustrating book. A lot of interesting material, but I also found much of it to be somewhat self-indulgent and unbalanced. It would have been better at half the length!

[poppy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read so far this year, definitely opened my eyes to a lot of issues in Britain's land ownership and access rights. Definitely "breached" the gap for
me and explained the guilt you feel when trespassing.

His descriptions of nature were beautiful to hear. I loved how he mixed personal stories with the history of the land he trespassed - it exposed so many events I hadnt heard of - The Enclosures, The Kett Rebellion, and more recent things like Grow Heathrow and the Greenham Common Protests. It gave a different perspective on the link between slavery and private ownership.

I found it quite contradictory that at the end when he praised the management of the Crown estates as exemplary land ownership however spent most of the book condemning her for being the largest land owner? Bit of a disconnect no?
I listened to this on audible (hence the notes on goodreads) but now i need a physical copy so i can highlight everything!
Would recommend.

[David Goodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully written at times, wide ranging content and urgent political message. I think sometimes it was a little reductionist in its view of land rights as being the root cause of essentially all evil. I believe it’s a fundamental right, and this book went a long way to convincing me how interwoven land rights are with other movements, but i don’t think Nick Hayes has the rhetorical skill to convince me enclosure is society’s One True Evil.

But that’s ok! I agree with essentially everything he says in this book. The doxa of private property etc. I liked his repeated use of the phrase “the bleeding obvious.” Felt very British. I have thought about one of his trespass anecdotes several times since I read it. There’s a gamekeeper who meets him and a friend trespassing on a path, and he tells them “there’s no way through here!” in a way that denies the “bleeding obvious” that there is, in fact, a path behind him. The speech acts that hide the true nature of exclusion to even those enforcing it.

He defo didn’t touch the ultra illegal oak at the end. Honestly I wouldn’t have either. Like he said, other cooler trees out there than a 100 year old oak. Not worth a potential year in prison lol.

Some of the nature description prose was a little purple for my taste. And the sentences very long. Washed over me mostly when I read it.

I get the feeling I would like Nick Hayes. Nick if you’re reading this I’m sorry about the 3 stars, I agree with you. Let’s get coffee

Generally, the book could have benefited from a more principled argumentation and from being about 60 pages shorter, which would have been easy with some judicious editing.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of Trespass is a fascinating, provocative, revealing and occasionally infuriating deep dive into the long, complex history of land ownership and access rights in England. It’s one of those books that makes you look at something you’ve always taken for granted with new eyes and with a strong sense of injustices having been done by perpetrators who have got away with it for centuries. Ranging widely through different landscapes and ownership patterns (although rarely venturing in to the northern counties), Nick Hayes illustrates his own experiences of trespass with the political, economic and cultural history of the land and watercourses that have led to ordinary citizens being denied access to 92 per cent of the former and 97 per cent of the latter. This is a substantial and radical book, as much manifesto for change as history and geography. Beautifully produced (stylishly and evocatively illustrated by the author), thought-provoking in the best sense and very readable, The Book of Trespass is well worth searching out.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the first part of this book to be very informative and discovered quite a bit about life in England before the Norman Conquest which I had hadn't known previously. The information about the Enclosure Act was also very enlightening. However I was less enchanted by the author's constant belittling of a certain national newspaper and its readers who he seems to hold personally responsible for anything that has happened in the UK to which he doesn't agree. I hadn't realised when reading the book of his connection with The Guardian newspaper, otherwise I wouldn't have been quite as surprised at his views. I was so also unsure why a trip to Calais to visit the migrant camps, however laudable, was included in a book about trespass in England. Apparently there are also some beautiful illustrations in the book which unfortunately I couldn't access on my tablet.

I read this book courtesy of the Pigeonhole so would like to thank them and the author for the opportunity of reading it.

[Nick Garbutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a passionate, brilliant, radical and persuasive work. Hayes is a trespasser who takes us on a series of walks which explore parts of England (92% of it) we are not allowed to see.
Whilst doing so he exposes the robber barons who took this land from the rest of us and walled it off, he explains how many of them gained their wealth from slavery or else from pillage, plunder and murder. Hayes also describes how villages were laid waste and their populations deprived of their ancient rights as they lost their rights to graze their animals and take timber to warm their hearths. How and why the English commons allowed itself to be destroyed in this way and has never succeeded in taking back what was stolen from it is one of the great enduring mysteries. This is a wonderful, brave piece of writing that links Hayes' environmental concerns with an angry denunciation of social injustice.

[Robbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me almost 5 months to finish this book because it was just so insanely dense. Each page had me going down rabbit hole after rabbit hole on Google, not to fill in the gaps in Nick’s writing, but just further exploring the interconnectivity of everything. And this book is about EVERYTHING. My typical interest in reading the past while has been about the environment, and the book is largely about that, but as the book churns on, every civil rights issue gets contextualised within the concept of land, from women’s rights to traveller’s continued ostracism. Nick’s ability to conjure all of this and write about it so thoughtfully is one of the book’s greatest strength, as is his ability to explore language as an oppressive tool, hold truth to power whilst weaving folklore, art and literature into the mix. This will be a short review because I don’t really think there is much I can say about this book other than that it is RADICALISING. Everyone should read this book.

[JCS · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book and a fascinating insight. Highlighting the links between land, powerful people and political interests, the history of distribution of land is explained thoroughly and in an interesting way. The author shares his countryside adventures alongside the factual history of trespass. This works well, although sometimes can be protracted. So much thought-provoking information to absorb. It ends on an optimistic note, detailing some of the progress that is being made towards giving more people access to this currently inaccessible land. The illustrative prints are just stunning and complement the writing beautifully.
Thank you to Nick Hayes, Net galley and Bloomsbury Circus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Overbylass · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Well written. Unlike other readers, I enjoyed the sections where the author trespassed on 'private' land, something I enjoy doing myself, if I can . I agree with virtually everything in this book, just some parts I found a little trite , the odd well used opinion, I hear often, from authors that have been better educated and come from nicer areas of the UK.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have learnt a lot reading this book and intend to read Guy Shrubsole's Who Owns England and The Lie of The Land as follow-ups. I loved how Hayes ''trespassed'' as he created his wonderful art, his prose and I could feel his anger at the way so much beautiful land has been ''enclosed'' by the rich and upper classes, including whole villages and farms - just so the landed gentry could run their sheep or hunt pheasants without the commoners getting in the way (making a livelihood). Hayes attempted to talk to the richest MP in England, get a feel for where ''the other half or 2%'' are coming from, but that meeting didn't go so well. It is almost like we come from different planets.

[Erik B.K.K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I despise (English) royalty, "nobility", elitism, hunting, snobbism & class society with a passion. I hate how people think they have more rights simply by being born in the right bed. I hate our money-grabbing, law undermining, sneaky and arrogant "King", and I hope his daughter never gets to be Queen. The English royalty is even worse. Charles is snobby elitism personified. Luckily he allegedly refuses heart medicine, his edema fingers are a tell-tale sign. Not that William is any better. His mum would have been so disappointed in him. Diana was the sole bright light in that family, but that candle was snuffed out almost with predetermination. But I'm rambling.
The message of this book I applaud loudly, but the writing could have been (much) more interesting and cohesive.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A non-fiction exploration of the uses and abuses of land laws/rules in UK, told through a mix of personal journeys to various sites alongside historical narration.

An eye opening read, which exposes how the 'gentry' have and continue to exploit situations for personal benefit at the detriment of communities; both human and animal.

[Josh Murphie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 but getting the GoodRead 5! Expected more description of nature, but actually loved the history, present state and future of trespass and our relationship with the land. Right to Roam!!!!!! (Also mass redistribution of hoarded land)

[Fred Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve read in ages!! Infuriating and interesting and beautiful! So many questions and so many learnings