Diggers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids True Levellers
Woodcut from a Levellers document by William Everard
Leader	Gerrard Winstanley
Founded	1649
Dissolved	1651
Split from	Levellers
Ideology	Agrarian socialism Christian socialism Christian Anarchism
Religion	Dissenter Protestantism
Politics of England

The Diggers were a group of people in England who lived a long time ago. They had strong religious and political ideas. They wanted everyone to be equal, especially when it came to land. Their leaders included Gerrard Winstanley and William Everard. In 1649, they were first called "True Levellers." This name showed they were different from another group called the Levellers. Later, people started calling them "Diggers." This was because they tried to farm on land that was "common." Common land was land that everyone could use, not just one person.

The Diggers believed in sharing everything, like the early Christians did. They wanted to change society by living a simple farming life. They created small, equal communities where everyone worked together. They were one of many groups at the time who had different religious views from the main church. The authorities often forced the Diggers to leave their settlements.

Who Were the Diggers?

The Diggers were a group of people who believed in fairness and sharing. They thought that land should be used by everyone, not owned by a few rich people. They wanted to create a society where everyone had enough food and a place to live. Their main goal was to live a simple life, farming the land together.

What Did the Diggers Believe?

In 1649, Gerrard Winstanley and 14 other people wrote a pamphlet. They called themselves "True Levellers" to show their ideas were different from the main Levellers group. When they started farming common land, people began calling them "Diggers."

The Diggers believed that true freedom came from using the Earth. They thought humans and nature were connected. They wanted to build a perfect community where everything was shared. They were against individual ownership of land. They also supported early ideas of public health care, where everyone could get help when they needed it.

Where Did the Diggers Live?

The Diggers tried to set up communities in different parts of England. They wanted to show how their ideas could work. However, they often faced problems from local landowners and authorities.

St George's Hill: Their First Home

In April 1649, a group of Diggers started planting vegetables. They chose common land on St George's Hill in Weybridge, Surrey. This was a time when food was expensive and harvests were bad. The Diggers invited everyone to join them. They promised food, drink, and clothes to those who helped. They also wanted to remove all "enclosures." Enclosures were fences that rich landowners put up around common land. The Diggers hoped thousands of people would join them. They published a famous paper called "The True Levellers Standard Advanced."

The exact spot where they farmed on St George's Hill is still debated. Local landowners did not like the Diggers. The local "Lord of the Manor," Francis Drake, caused many problems. He sent gangs to attack the Diggers. They were beaten, and one of their shared houses was burned down. The Diggers lost a court case about the land. To avoid the army being sent against them, they left St George's Hill in August 1649. This made the local landowners very happy.

Little Heath: A New Start

After leaving St George's Hill, some Diggers moved a short distance away. They went to Little Heath in Surrey. There, they farmed about 11 acres (4.5 hectares) of land. They built six houses and harvested crops for the winter. They also wrote more pamphlets to share their ideas.

At first, the local lord of the manor, Parson John Platt, seemed to understand them. But soon, he became their biggest enemy. He used his power to stop local people from helping the Diggers. He also organized attacks on their property. By April 1650, Platt and other landowners forced the Diggers to leave Little Heath.

Wellingborough: Another Community

Another Digger community started near Wellingborough in Northamptonshire. In 1650, this group published their own statement. It explained why they, the poor people of Wellingborough, had started to dig and plant on the common land called Bareshanke.

This community likely started because of contact with the Surrey Diggers. In March 1650, four people from the Surrey group were arrested. They were carrying a letter from Gerrard Winstanley and others. The letter encouraged people to start new Digger communities. It also asked for money to help the Surrey Diggers. These messengers had traveled through many counties.

In April 1650, the authorities ordered a local judge to act against the "Levellers" in Northamptonshire. Nine of the Wellingborough Diggers were arrested and put in jail. Even though no charges could be proven, the judge would not let them go.

Iver: More Digger Groups

Another Digger community was set up in Iver, Buckinghamshire. This was about 14 miles (23 km) from the Surrey Diggers at St George's Hill. The Iver Diggers also wrote a statement. It said there were even more Digger communities. These were in places like Barnet, Enfield, Dunstable, Bosworth, Gloucestershire, and Nottinghamshire. The statement also mentioned that after the Surrey community failed, the Diggers had to leave their children to be cared for by local funds.

How Do We Remember the Diggers Today?

The ideas of the Diggers have inspired people even centuries later.

• In the 1960s, a group in San Francisco called the San Francisco Diggers was formed. They were activists and street performers. They took their name from the original Diggers.
• In Britain, people who protest against new roads or support communal living often see the Diggers as early examples of their ideas.
• On April 1, 1999, exactly 350 years after the Diggers first occupied St George's Hill, a group called The Land Is Ours held a rally. They then occupied land on the same hill near Weybridge, Surrey.
• Since 2011, annual festivals have been held in places like Wigan and Wellingborough to celebrate the Diggers.
• Groups like Bolton Diggers and Manchester Urban Diggers continue their spirit. They create community food gardens and cafes. They aim to help local communities grow their own food and share resources.

See also

• Christian anarchism
• Christian communism
• Christian socialism
• Pre-Marxist communism