Sussex Gorse: The Story of a Fight

Published in 1916, 'Sussex Gorse: The Story of a Fight' by Sheila Kaye-Smith is a historical novel set in the 1830s that explores the impact of the Inclosure Act on a rural community in Sussex, England. The story follows Reuben Backfield, a passionate fifteen-year-old determined to reclaim the land of Boarzell, which holds deep personal and communal significance. As tensions rise during the Boarzell Fair, the community's struggle against the local squire's encroachment reflects themes of ambition, resistance, and the fight to preserve traditional ways of life.