ABSTRACT
The education of the majority of children in rural England during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries was a haphazard affair. The clergy had a particularly important role to play at a time when religion and education were still thought to be inextricably linked, and many clerics felt it their duty to inaugurate, and even to finance, a village school. One of the greatest obstacles to educational advance in country districts, however, was the employment of children on the land, since this led to great irregularity of attendance and a very brief school life. The 'social control' aspect of allotments was also prominent in many communities, and those who were allowed to rent land were expected to attend church regularly and to conform in other respects. On a social plane, Protestant nonconformity was also important in offering labouring men and women the opportunity to run their own affairs and thereby to acquire self-confidence and administrative expertise.
