Warwickshire has been traditionally regarded as two distinct areas, The Arden ofr Forest area to the North and West, with the Felden, originally arable areas, to the South and West. Lighthorne lies in the Felden but close to the border between the two, which is roughly along the line of the Fosse Way.

Most of the Felden Parishes of Warwickshire were enclosed during the 18^th and 19^th centuries, changing the status of the majority of the population from that of feudal tenants to hire labourers.

As feudal tenants, the population was very much tied to the Parish by the rights and obligations of the Feudal System. With enclosure, the cottagers, with their rural trade skills supplemented by small land holdings of between 3 and 15 acres and grazing rights on the common lands, suffered the greatest reduction of status and living standard. If their trade did not provide an adequate income, they were reduced to day labourers or were displaced by poverty from the Parish thus becoming landless men.

The Yeoman class, generally with holdings of between 30 and 100 acres, either improved their status by the improvement of their consolidated holdings or by sale of their holdings to the larger landholders.

Lighthorne is typical in this pattern, the number of Yeoman families reducing from about eleven before enclosure to four immediately following the act in 1723. By 1830, only one agricultural landowner remained, having absorbed all the minor holdings.

Similarly, the number of cottager tradesmen also diminished. Aside from Lord Willoughby de Broke, only six landowners are recorded in 1837, the trustees of John Green, (a late Farmer), two tradespeople, the Hortins, (Beerhouse & Carpenters) and the Lattimers (Beerhouse), and one ‘Gentleman’, a Solicitor from Leamington (Henry Eyres Landor, brother of the Hanoverian poet Walter Savage Landor). The trustees of John Green’s Farm appear to have held the farm house and close only, the Farm land having been sold to Lord Willoughby de Broke in 1829. The total land not held or controlled by Lord Willoughby De Broke in 1837 was about seven acres.

1. Church Terrier 1714 – Names of Yeomen landholders
2. Enclosure Act 1723 – Names of Petitioners and beneficiaries
3. Commutation of Tithes act 1837 – Names of landholders
4. White’s Directory1850 – Tradesmen & Farmers
5. Census returns for 1851, 1881 & 1891 – Names & origins of residents.
6. Kelly’s Directory1896 - Tradesmen & Farmers
7. Victoria County History.

The census records from the VCH, volume 5,show a fairly constant population level.

The census returns from 1851. 1881 & 1891 show the occupation and place of birth of the population. For the purposes of this study, the population of working age, including housekeepers, wives, paupers and servants are included as well as agricultural workers, tradesmen, farmers & public servants. Lodgers are included in the survey but visitors are not. Children under working age are excluded. As this is an agricultural village, working age is assumed to start at 13 years old unless any individual is specifically mentioned as employed.

It is significant that in each of the census years, less than 50% of the working age population were born in Lighthorne. As the century progressed, this population increased while those born within 10 miles of the parish reduced. The numbers born in other parts of the UK also increased, the occupations of these incomers are predominantly tenant farmers and their servants, coming from Scotland, Westmoreland, Somerset & Yorkshire. Servants such as dairymen and waggoners seem to have travelled with their employers and can be assumed to have travelled on with them at the end of the tenancy.

Other incomers were the Schoolteachers, Clerics and their servants including some from Ireland & Wales. In 1891 there were two from outside the U.K, one from South Africa, the Wife of the Rector, & one from Germany, living in Whitegates.

The majority of incoming farm labourers and craftsmen were from adjacent parishes, with some from Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Northampton. The major contributing parishes were Kineton, Gaydon, Chesterton, Moreton Morrell, Harbury and Tysoe. Significantly, very few came from the Arden areas of Warwickshire or from the counties on the northern side of the county. Apart from a cluster of four from around Packington, Meriden, & Corley, all others from the Arden were isolated individuals.

This map indicates a preponderance of locations in the Felden areas, a tendency which is supported in the earlier graphical illustrations by the number of people coming from the Felden counties of Oxfordshire and Northampton. The influence of the two major roads, the Fosse Way and Warwick – London Turnpike roads has also to be considered. Although both roads pass through the area to the northwest and northeast respectively, there is significantly more movement from the southward direction.

The analysis of the census returns shows that less than half of the working population of Lighthorne was born in the village for the second half of the 19^th century. By occupation these were mainly described as agricultural labourers or other forms of rural craftsmen such as woodmen, gamekeepers etc.

The majority of the incomers were from within ten miles of the parish, and in many cases bore the same surnames as other current or earlier village residents, and can be assumed to be part of a population pool which was recirculating around this ten mile area. As the numbers of children born per family was generally in excess of four, a number of these can be assumed to have formed part of this recirculating population. A brief review of the census returns from major contributing parishes to the Lighthorne workforce shows significant numbers of Lighthorne born residents. The frequency with which some "Lighthorne" names recur from parishes within the 10 mile radius seems to support that a larger pool of mainly agricultural workers within this greater area.

The majority of incomers with agricultural trades from outside the county were from Oxfordshire, with smaller numbers from Northamptonshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Gloucestershire. Very few came from North or West of the county, the few cases being isolated examples as with the northern parishes of Warwickshire. This indicates a distinct drift northward into the parish and recirculation of the population from within the southward Felden areas, with only limited additions from beyond. Whether this is due to population pressures, trade skills or other reasons require further study.

Of the remaining incomers, those from distant counties of England, plus those from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the Colonies, most are tenant farmers and their servants, or professionals such as Clerics or Schoolteachers. The majority seems to have stayed for a short period only and then moved on without significantly being absorbed into the local population. Two of the old local Yeoman Families, the Manns & the Greens, do occur as tenant or bailiff farmers from time to time.