During the 19th century a band of around 300 men met on Shedfield Common and according to The Times newspaper, 'armed with implements of husbandry' marched towards the town of Wickham, but there were waylaid by a couple of of what could have been local magistrates and a unit of soldiers. The Times describes how some of the marchers resorted to violence and three of the ringleaders were arressed and taken to Wickham to stand trial. The rest of the band scattered but soon reassembled and once more continued on their march to Wickham. They were met by a Major Campbel who asked them what their complaints were and were informed that the men could not live on the low wages. Major Campbell promised to look into this and the crowd broke up peacefully.

The strawberry fields were a major source of income for the villagers and also cherries were grown in abundance and these were taken to to Wickham and Portsmouth then eventually to many London Hotels.