Some of you might know that for many years now there has been an old caravan
parked in a corner of Alice's Meadow. As well as being an eyesore it is in such
a poor condition that it has become unsafe.
The parish council, which manages the field on behalf of the landowners, has
asked if anyone knows who the caravan belongs to and how it came to be there, as
it is in such a condition that it may need to be scrapped.
Is there anyone on the list who can offer any information?
You may have heard in the news of the campaign to prevent the third
runway at Heathrow by buying a plot of the land on the site.
This is very much in the spirit of the original Alice's Meadow campaign.
Anyone interested can find more details below:-
http://www.airplot.org.uk/
Hi,
When I was a kid I bought a few plots of Alices Meadow to help the
campaign. Unfortunately I have lost the documents that were sent to me
and as you have indicated in another post the land is unregistered so
the Land registry cannot help.
Are there any central records kept of who bought the plots, is there
any way I could get duplicate certificates?
Regards,
Ray
As the business war on the air is hotting up with so many low-budget
airlines dominating the sky, the passengers can now enjoy the best
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happier and very less expensive.
Visit the website now to find out how to get the cheap and free air
tickets: http://air.myguideforlife.com
I was checking Google Earth a while ago to see if I could find our
meadow, as I was a bit worried that it may have succumbed to some form
of urban development, but no, there it was. Brilliant!!
I am the proud "caretaker" of blocks 2561-2565 and before I came to
Australia in 1989, I took 3 friends there and we had a very pleasant
picnic which was supervised by a beautiful, but BIG, horse that was in
residence that week.
I am so pleased to see that the custodians are still caring for Alice.
Lots of love, peace and happiness to all
Dennis (aka Fof)
Just when you were writing this email, we were making our first pilgrimage to Alice's Meadow to see our plot (no. 287)! We had exactly the same experience - a young woman appeared on her bike and asked if she could help us. We explained and said we wondered if many other people had been on the same mission - she said no. We asked if she knew the story of the campaign and said she did, in a bored tone of voice! Like you, we were sad that there was no form of display board to explain the significance of the field.
We then went on to have a short walk on Otmoor and spotted quite an array of birds and insects, which of course would have been homeless if the motorway had gone ahead.
The thought also crossed our minds that it would be good to meet the other landowners, and as you say, the 25th anniversary of the sale of the plots would be very appropriate. Our documents say August 24 1983, by the way. We'd definitely be up for any get together, although living in Poole it would be difficult for us to do anything practical to help arrange an event. Do keep us posted!
Hi All
I took a trip out Swindon way recently (to attend the opening of the
Westmill Wind Farm) and took a diversion on the way home to Alice's
Meadow, as it was some 25 years or so now since I'd been there to the
party (of which I have the vaguest memories. Was anyone in the group
there too?
I found my plots in the corner of the field and was reliving some fond
recollections of times past when I noticed a young lady of about 18
years of age watching me from the road. I quickly realised that she
had something to do with the two horses grazing in the field, and that
my presence there was causing her alarm (did she think me a crazed
axe-murderer, I wandered?). So I strolled across to her and introduced
myself, and explained my reasons for being there, in order that I
might reassure her of my intentions. "Did she know of the history of
the field?", I asked. There was an evident lack of knowledge, and so I
gave a very brief outline of the FoE campaign of all those years ago.
There was no real response in the matter from her, just a sort of
surly resentment, and so I left to go back to my car, a few yards away
along the lane. As I walked across the road, I noticed, coming from
the opposite direction to my car, an older woman who was making her
way to join the young horse-fettler. As I sat in my car with the door
wide open I clearly heard older woman say to horse fettler-girl "What
did he want?". The reply was not clear, but evidently expressed a
disdainful sentiment, which elicited from the older person a similarly
disdainful tone.
I could not hear the words used, but the tone said it all. It left me
saddened. Having driven up the M40 to get to the area earlier that
day, as I sat there in my car, I was struck by the enormity of the
damage that would have been done to the area, had that road been
driven through Otmoor and in between the villages of Fencott and
Murcott, as I believe was the intended route. The lives of the people
there would have been ruined and the area devastated. There was, from
those two people at least, no appreciation at all evident. How sad
that so soon after the event, there is only one pathetic little Parish
Council notice there and that the inspired action of Wheatley Friends
of the Earth and William Weston seemed to have never been fully
appreciated.
I notice that the dates on the planning documents that I have (24th
September 1983), suggest that this year it will be 25 years since the
meadow was sold off! Surely there must soon be a cause for
celebration? Would anyone agree? There is a pub in one of the nearby
villages, I think it was Murcott. Would anyone fancy getting together
on an appropriate date to celebrate the fact that they helped to make
a success of one of the most innovative anti - road protests ever? Can
anyone suggest a suitable date for such an event? I don't know when
the original route was abandoned. Perhaps that could be a good date?
Perhaps we can interest those (apparently)rather disinterested locals
as well and get them involved?
Please let me know what your thoughts are.
Tim Beesley
I am writing to ask if there would be any chance of you circulating
this information about a survey that the People's Trust for Endangered
Species is running, to your colleagues, members and friends.
The survey, Living with Mammals, is volunteer-based and runs through
April, May and June. Participants are asked to choose a site in the
built environment (such as their garden, allotments, a playing field or
churchyard) and to record sightings and field signs of mammals for
eight or more weeks in the survey period.
This year will be the sixth year that the survey has run and whilst it
is proving very successful, each year we are looking to increase
the number of people taking part to get an even more comprehensive
picture of the nation's mammal populations. Any data we receive will be
available to interested parties.
Please visit our website www.ptes.org or email hannah@... or call
020 7498 4533 for survey packs, last year's report or more info.
Hi to all,
Just discovered this site after finding the deeds to my plot during a
clear-out of my cupboards!!
I bought the two plots, 300 and 301 before I got married so my name
was Kathryn Fitzpatrick, together with my ex-partner Patrick Donohue.
My surname is now Perrin and I live in West Wales with the lovely
Mark and our children. I used to live in Thame, got married and moved
to Wales in 1990. I have very fond memories of the Otmoor festival,
Alice's picnic! So can I join the landowners group?
Kathy
I have just joined your group. I work for the People's Trust for Endangered Species, a conservation charity, and would just like to make your group aware of our work.
Amongst many other things we run UK-wide wildlife surveys throughout the year. Our current survey is Molewatch which is a child-friendly and useful distribution survey. Please visit www.molewatch.org.uk or call us on 020 7498 5262 for more details. It would be great if all you members would get involved and spread the word!
We run many other projects and I would like to let you know about how to get involved. I will post messages as they arise. Alternatively call us on 020 7498 5262 for more information.
Thank you in advance
Hannah
For ideas on reducing your carbon footprint visit Yahoo! For Good this month.
Carol
Thanks for that. I hadn't seen anything. It's a nice article. I'm pleased to
see the reserve has been such a success!
Regards
Tim
From: "Peacocks" <pavones@...>
Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>
Subject: Re: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:34:07 +0100
Hi Tim
I'm sure by now you'll have been sent this link by someone, but in case you
haven't...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/07/12/eameadow112.xm\
l
Regards
Carol (owner of a plot in Alice's Meadow)
*********************************************
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Beesley" <tim.beesley@...>
To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>; <Admin@...>
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:29 PM
Subject: RE: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
>
> Dear All
>
> Did anyone get to see if there was an article published in the Telegraph?
> I'm afraid that my partner buys the paper in this household, and, as a
> result, we are afflicted with the Daily Mail.
>
> Might there be link to it?
>
> Tim
>
> From: "Graham Tibbetts" <Graham.Tibbetts@...>
> Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
> To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>,
> <Admin@...>
> Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
> Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:18:58 +0100
>
> Dear Sir/Madam
>
> I'm a reporter on the Daily Telegraph and I'm planning to write an
> article for Friday's paper about the tenth anniversary of Otmoor nature
> reserve. I see from the website that there is a nice tale behind the
> reserve about the campaign to preserve the area against the threat from
> the M40. I wondered if anyone connected to Alice's Meadow could possibly
> contact me to discuss the campaign and the nature reserve? My office
> number is 0207 931 2522 and my mobile 07967 343420.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Graham Tibbetts
>
>
> For all the latest news and comment visit www.telegraph.co.uk. This
> message, its contents and any attachments to it are private, confidential
> and may be the subject of legal privilege. Any unauthorised disclosure,
> use
> or dissemination of the whole or part of this message (without our prior
> written consent) is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
> please notify us immediately. Incoming and outgoing telephone calls to
our
> offices may be monitored or recorded for training and quality control
> purposes and for confirming orders and information. Telegraph Media Group
> Limited is a limited liability company registered in England and Wales
> (company number 451593). Our registered office address is: 111
Buckingham
> Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT.
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> The next generation of Hotmail is here! http://www.newhotmail.co.uk/
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
_________________________________________________________________
The next generation of Hotmail is here! http://www.newhotmail.co.uk
Carol
Thanks for that. I hadn't seen anything. It's a nice article. I'm pleased to
see the reserve has been such a success!
Regards
Tim
From: "Peacocks" <pavones@...>
Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>
Subject: Re: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:34:07 +0100
Hi Tim
I'm sure by now you'll have been sent this link by someone, but in case you
haven't...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/07/12/eameadow112.xm\
l
Regards
Carol (owner of a plot in Alice's Meadow)
*********************************************
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Beesley" <tim.beesley@...>
To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>; <Admin@...>
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:29 PM
Subject: RE: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
>
> Dear All
>
> Did anyone get to see if there was an article published in the Telegraph?
> I'm afraid that my partner buys the paper in this household, and, as a
> result, we are afflicted with the Daily Mail.
>
> Might there be link to it?
>
> Tim
>
> From: "Graham Tibbetts" <Graham.Tibbetts@...>
> Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
> To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>,
> <Admin@...>
> Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
> Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:18:58 +0100
>
> Dear Sir/Madam
>
> I'm a reporter on the Daily Telegraph and I'm planning to write an
> article for Friday's paper about the tenth anniversary of Otmoor nature
> reserve. I see from the website that there is a nice tale behind the
> reserve about the campaign to preserve the area against the threat from
> the M40. I wondered if anyone connected to Alice's Meadow could possibly
> contact me to discuss the campaign and the nature reserve? My office
> number is 0207 931 2522 and my mobile 07967 343420.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Graham Tibbetts
>
>
> For all the latest news and comment visit www.telegraph.co.uk. This
> message, its contents and any attachments to it are private, confidential
> and may be the subject of legal privilege. Any unauthorised disclosure,
> use
> or dissemination of the whole or part of this message (without our prior
> written consent) is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
> please notify us immediately. Incoming and outgoing telephone calls to
our
> offices may be monitored or recorded for training and quality control
> purposes and for confirming orders and information. Telegraph Media Group
> Limited is a limited liability company registered in England and Wales
> (company number 451593). Our registered office address is: 111
Buckingham
> Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT.
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> The next generation of Hotmail is here! http://www.newhotmail.co.uk/
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
_________________________________________________________________
The next generation of Hotmail is here! http://www.newhotmail.co.uk
> Hi Tim
>
> I'm sure by now you'll have been sent this link by someone, but in case
> you
> haven't...
>
>
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/07/12/eameadow112.xm\
l
>
> Regards
>
> Carol (owner of a plot in Alice's Meadow)
>
> *********************************************
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tim Beesley" <tim.beesley@...>
> To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>;
> <Admin@...>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:29 PM
> Subject: RE: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
>
>
>>
>> Dear All
>>
>> Did anyone get to see if there was an article published in the Telegraph?
>> I'm afraid that my partner buys the paper in this household, and, as a
>> result, we are afflicted with the Daily Mail.
>>
>> Might there be link to it?
>>
>> Tim
>>
>> From: "Graham Tibbetts" <Graham.Tibbetts@...>
>> Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
>> To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>,
>> <Admin@...>
>> Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
>> Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:18:58 +0100
>>
>> Dear Sir/Madam
>>
>> I'm a reporter on the Daily Telegraph and I'm planning to write an
>> article for Friday's paper about the tenth anniversary of Otmoor nature
>> reserve. I see from the website that there is a nice tale behind the
>> reserve about the campaign to preserve the area against the threat from
>> the M40. I wondered if anyone connected to Alice's Meadow could possibly
>> contact me to discuss the campaign and the nature reserve? My office
>> number is 0207 931 2522 and my mobile 07967 343420.
>>
>> Best wishes
>>
>> Graham Tibbetts
>>
>>
>> For all the latest news and comment visit www.telegraph.co.uk. This
>> message, its contents and any attachments to it are private, confidential
>> and may be the subject of legal privilege. Any unauthorised disclosure,
>> use
>> or dissemination of the whole or part of this message (without our prior
>> written consent) is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
>> please notify us immediately. Incoming and outgoing telephone calls to
>> our
>> offices may be monitored or recorded for training and quality control
>> purposes and for confirming orders and information. Telegraph Media Group
>> Limited is a limited liability company registered in England and Wales
>> (company number 451593). Our registered office address is: 111
>> Buckingham
>> Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT.
>>
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> The next generation of Hotmail is here! http://www.newhotmail.co.uk/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
Hi Tim
I'm sure by now you'll have been sent this link by someone, but in case you
haven't...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/07/12/eameadow112.xm\
l
Regards
Carol (owner of a plot in Alice's Meadow)
*********************************************
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Beesley" <tim.beesley@...>
To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>; <Admin@...>
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 8:29 PM
Subject: RE: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
>
> Dear All
>
> Did anyone get to see if there was an article published in the Telegraph?
> I'm afraid that my partner buys the paper in this household, and, as a
> result, we are afflicted with the Daily Mail.
>
> Might there be link to it?
>
> Tim
>
> From: "Graham Tibbetts" <Graham.Tibbetts@...>
> Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
> To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>,
> <Admin@...>
> Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
> Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:18:58 +0100
>
> Dear Sir/Madam
>
> I'm a reporter on the Daily Telegraph and I'm planning to write an
> article for Friday's paper about the tenth anniversary of Otmoor nature
> reserve. I see from the website that there is a nice tale behind the
> reserve about the campaign to preserve the area against the threat from
> the M40. I wondered if anyone connected to Alice's Meadow could possibly
> contact me to discuss the campaign and the nature reserve? My office
> number is 0207 931 2522 and my mobile 07967 343420.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Graham Tibbetts
>
>
> For all the latest news and comment visit www.telegraph.co.uk. This
> message, its contents and any attachments to it are private, confidential
> and may be the subject of legal privilege. Any unauthorised disclosure,
> use
> or dissemination of the whole or part of this message (without our prior
> written consent) is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
> please notify us immediately. Incoming and outgoing telephone calls to our
> offices may be monitored or recorded for training and quality control
> purposes and for confirming orders and information. Telegraph Media Group
> Limited is a limited liability company registered in England and Wales
> (company number 451593). Our registered office address is: 111 Buckingham
> Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT.
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> The next generation of Hotmail is here! http://www.newhotmail.co.uk/
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
Dear All
Did anyone get to see if there was an article published in the Telegraph?
I'm afraid that my partner buys the paper in this household, and, as a
result, we are afflicted with the Daily Mail.
Might there be link to it?
Tim
From: "Graham Tibbetts" <Graham.Tibbetts@...>
Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>, <Admin@...>
Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Otmoor
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:18:58 +0100
Dear Sir/Madam
I'm a reporter on the Daily Telegraph and I'm planning to write an
article for Friday's paper about the tenth anniversary of Otmoor nature
reserve. I see from the website that there is a nice tale behind the
reserve about the campaign to preserve the area against the threat from
the M40. I wondered if anyone connected to Alice's Meadow could possibly
contact me to discuss the campaign and the nature reserve? My office
number is 0207 931 2522 and my mobile 07967 343420.
Best wishes
Graham Tibbetts
For all the latest news and comment visit www.telegraph.co.uk. This
message, its contents and any attachments to it are private, confidential
and may be the subject of legal privilege. Any unauthorised disclosure, use
or dissemination of the whole or part of this message (without our prior
written consent) is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
please notify us immediately. Incoming and outgoing telephone calls to our
offices may be monitored or recorded for training and quality control
purposes and for confirming orders and information. Telegraph Media Group
Limited is a limited liability company registered in England and Wales
(company number 451593). Our registered office address is: 111 Buckingham
Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT.
_________________________________________________________________
The next generation of Hotmail is here! http://www.newhotmail.co.uk/
I’m a reporter on the Daily Telegraph and I’m
planning to write an article for Friday’s paper about the tenth
anniversary of Otmoor nature reserve. I see from the website that there is a
nice tale behind the reserve about the campaign to preserve the area against
the threat from the M40. I wondered if anyone connected to Alice’s Meadow could possibly contact me
to discuss the campaign and the nature reserve? My office number is 0207 931
2522 and my mobile 07967 343420.
This message, its contents and any attachments to it are private, confidential and may be the subject of legal privilege. Any unauthorised disclosure, use or dissemination of the whole or part of this message (without our prior written consent) is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify us immediately. Incoming and outgoing telephone calls to our offices may be monitored or recorded for training and quality control purposes and for confirming orders and information. Telegraph Media Group Limited is a limited liability company registered in England and Wales (company number 451593). Our registered office address is: 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT.
Paul
An excellent set of instructions. Thank you very much. I hope to make use of
them sometime soon.
Tim Beesley
From: "jp_brettle" <jpb1301@...>
Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] How to get to Alice's meadow - New Page
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 01:33:51 -0000
A new page giving details of how to get to Alice's Meadow is to be
added to the website.
For a preview of the draft version follow this url:
http://tinyurl.com/2ccjvc
Any comments on the new page would be much appreciated.
Kind regards
Paul
_________________________________________________________________
Match.com - Click Here To Find Singles In Your Area Today!
http://msnuk.match.com/
A new page giving details of how to get to Alice's Meadow is to be
added to the website.
For a preview of the draft version follow this url:
http://tinyurl.com/2ccjvc
Any comments on the new page would be much appreciated.
Kind regards
Paul
Hi Carol,
The low number of your plot suggest that you were one of the first to buy
plots in Alices Meadow. I would be very interested to hear how you learned
of it.
As regarding change of address - you don't need to tell anyone - because
nearly all of Alice's meadow ( and this will certainly include your plot) is
unregistered land.
There are two types of land in England - registered and unregistered.
(Registered land is simply land that is registered at the Land Registry.) At
the time of the Alice's Meadow sell off, the regulations in force meant that
land below a certain threshold value didn't need to be registered when sold
or transferred. Which is why nearly all of Alice's Meadow is unregistered.
Possibly partly because of the success of the Alice's Meadow campaign, the
regulations were changed, and now ALL land needs to be registered with the
Land Registry when it is sold or transferred - so eventually there will be
no unregistered land in England. The sale of Alice's Meadow would still be
legal under the current regulations - but the catch is that each plot would
be liable for registration charges of about £30, so it would not be viable
for so many small plots.
While your plot remains in your possession you do not need to do anything
about registering it - unless you want to. However, if you ever sold it,
or if it was to be transferred in your will at the time of your death, then
it would have to registered and a fee woud have to be paid.
If you want to, you can do this yourself simply by contacting the land
registry at www.landregistry.gov.uk. However, the process is a little
involved for the lay person, and my brother - who works for a firm of
solicitors specialising in property transfers, will be willing to help you
do this. However, you will still need to pay the registration fees
yourself. His e-mail is rkb1809@....
Hope that is helpful.
Regards
Paul
----- Original Message -----
From: "maidenphotos" <pavones@...>
To: <Admin@...>
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 10:07 AM
Subject: Land Registry
Hi
Very glad to have found this site as I'd been wondering if my plot 287
had by now been covered with tarmac. Delighted to find it hasn't!
Do you know who to contact re change of address? I've moved around a
lot since 1983!
Carol
Thanks Paul
I've just remembered that my brother and some of his friends might have been
involved in this. I have sent an email to him and asked him to pass the
details on to his friends.
Regards
Tim
From: "Paul Brettle" <blueshift.press@...>
Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>
Subject: Re: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Greetings from another landowner!
Date: Thu, 28 Dec 2006 22:12:58 -0000
Hi Keith
Glad you found something on yr web search! Thats basically the reason why
the site was set up - because I did much the same and found nothing.
Still only fairly small group, and site -- but it's better than there being
nothing.
There may be a mention of Alices Meadow in a BBC program on the roads
movement next year (we'll have to wait and see) and that would hopefully
spur some interest.
----- Original Message -----
From: keithhnockels
To: alicesmeadow-landowners@...
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2006 12:41 PM
Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Greetings from another landowner!
I have had it in mind for a while to try and see what happened to
Alice's Meadow. I am delighted to have found this group, found
through a lunchtime bit of web searching!
I bought one plot as a sixth former in Ipswich, Suffolk. In the
meantime I have worked in Headington, Oxford, and I am now ironically a
fairly regular traveller on the M40 en route from current home in
Leicestershire to parents' home in north Somerset.
Delighted to have found the group, to have reminded myself that the
campaign worked, and delighted that the meadow remains.
Keith Nockels
_________________________________________________________________
MSN Hotmail is evolving – check out the new Windows Live Mail
http://ideas.live.com
Glad you found something on yr web search! Thats basically the reason why the site was set up - because I did much the same and found nothing.
Still only fairly small group, and site -- but it's better than there being nothing.
There may be a mention of Alices Meadow in a BBC program on the roads movement next year (we'll have to wait and see) and that would hopefully spur some interest.
Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Greetings from another landowner!
I have had it in mind for a while to try and see what happened to Alice's Meadow. I am delighted to have found this group, found through a lunchtime bit of web searching!
I bought one plot as a sixth former in Ipswich, Suffolk. In the meantime I have worked in Headington, Oxford, and I am now ironically a fairly regular traveller on the M40 en route from current home in Leicestershire to parents' home in north Somerset.
Delighted to have found the group, to have reminded myself that the campaign worked, and delighted that the meadow remains.
I have had it in mind for a while to try and see what happened to
Alice's Meadow. I am delighted to have found this group, found
through a lunchtime bit of web searching!
I bought one plot as a sixth former in Ipswich, Suffolk. In the
meantime I have worked in Headington, Oxford, and I am now ironically a
fairly regular traveller on the M40 en route from current home in
Leicestershire to parents' home in north Somerset.
Delighted to have found the group, to have reminded myself that the
campaign worked, and delighted that the meadow remains.
Keith Nockels
I suspect that you are not alone, and that there are several FoE groups around the world who have similar parcels of the field. That is part of the reason for the site to act as a resource and a connection for all those who own part of the field.
Because you are obviously eligable as landowners I have sent a separate invitation to join the Yahoo Alice's Meadow Landowners Discussion Group.
There are a number of reasons why there should be a landowners association - not least so there can be somebody to renegotiate the current management agreement with the parish council when it expires in 2013. There is currently no register of the owners of the idividual plots in the field (mine is 3148). I do have some contact details for Joe Weston (who originally sold the field) but I suspect any information that he still has will be wildly out of date.
Meanwhile, the website is still in a state of development, and I would be very interested to hear your comments, and especially any suggestions for changes or additions that you would find useful.
This is just to let you know that as the current Coordinator of Richmond and Twickenham Friends of the Earth I have been passed documents that state that we have been owners of plots 500 to 524 of Alice's Meadow since 1983.
I'm delighted to find this embryonic group and unite with other
owners of this little field and be able to celebrate our collective
success in preserving this precious habitat. My enthusiasm for rural
preservation has followed the path of my father who was chairman of
the Parish Council for Horseheath in SE Cambridgeshire, as I am now a
Parish Councillor for Warfield in Berkshire.
Unfortunately, Warfield is directly under threat - of 2500 new
houses! It's for the right reason - rare ground nesting birds in the
Surrey and Berkshire heathlands are indeed worthy of EU protection,
however the loss of Berkshire County Council coupled with the SE
Regional Assembly doing 30,000 foot macro-level planning has given
Bracknell Forest Borough Council few options in placing the 10,000
homes that are to be built between now and 2026.
Whether an Alice's Meadow type campaign could help save any of the
area under threat is unclear - unfortunately I think that landowners
and property developers seeing huge profits have already got the area
pretty well sewn up - however it's got to be worth investigation.
Our 1000 year old rural parish has already been damaged severely in
1949 and again in 1988 due to the creation and northward expansion of
Bracknell New Town, however it's time to call a halt to development
now, before the shifting of the IT industry to the Far East makes it
a ghost town in 20 years time!
Every little bit of support counts and of course I would appreciate
yours.
Embryonic campaign:
http://www.hometown.aol.co.uk/larkshill/keepwestendgreen.html
and petition: http://petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=2654
Best regards, Roderick Parks
Thank you for the information and the reference to the website, which I have just had a look at. It was most interesting.
I read the site with interest. What you say is very true - that the campaign has had far reaching effects, and perhaps much greater than could ever have been envisaged!
I hope you don't mind; I've taken the liberty of drawing up an alternative version of the website texts, as they had some typo's. I've also rephrased some parts to aid in the reading of them. You may feel that you want to incorporate some or all of it into your site.
I wish you luck with your campaign to investigate the Council's Deed of Covenant and congratulate you on your success with the AA route planner.
Have you any plans for a future reunion? A quarter century on, or some similar theme? I wander if FOE would advertise it for you on a national level, when the time came?
Best wishes
Tim
From: "J. Paul Brettle" <Admin@...> Reply-To: alicesmeadow-landowners@... To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...> Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] Re: A few Questions... Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 23:56:25 -0000
Hi Tim
A couple of answers -
i) there was no ballot of landowners concerning the uses of Alices Meadow. It is currently managed by the Fencott & Murcott Parish Council under the terms of a "covenant" between them and the (then) Wheatley Friends of the Earth group.
The parish council derives an income from the field by tendering out the grazing rights for the field. The current trienniel grazing licence period runs until 7th April 2007.
I have asked the chairman of the parish council for sight of this covenant, but they have declined to let me have a copy. I am now considering making an application under the freedom of information act to see this covenant and other documentaion relating to their management of the field.
There are a number of questions about the status of this agreement. Firstly when was it signed? Before or after the field was sold off? Secondly, the field was bought and sold in the name of William Joseph Weston: So if the FOE were never the owners of the field would they be competant to enter into any covenant with the parish council in the first place? Thirdly, as the covenant was not mentioned at all in the conveyances which partitioned the fieldwould it be binding on the 3000+ successors in title to the field? The conveyance certainly gives the impression that ALL rights (with the exception of a mutual right of way) including grazing rights, were conveyed with each plot.
ii) The RSPB nature reserve, might owe it's existance in part to the success of the Alices's Meadow campaign, but it covers a completely separate piece of land, occupying a large portion of the south of Otmoor.
iii) There is no register of members. As might be expected a lot of people involved in the sale/purchase of Alice's Meadow have moved since - including William Joseph Weston. He may still keep details of all the parties to whom it was sold, but I have not yet been able to contact him. That is in fact one of the puposes of this group, to try and make connections between those of us who participated in what was a singularly successful example of environmental action involving the general public.
BTW: Please do not get the impression that I am "anti" the parish council. It makes a lot of sense for Alices Meadow to be managed by local people, and for that to be done in such a way as to to produce a revenue stream that makes it self sustaining, and which benefits that community. In fact it is probably the only practical solution to managing a field that is notionally owned by several thousand individuals. I just think that the legal basis on which it is being done is pretty shakey and I would like to see something more robust in place.
There is a bit more information on www.alicesmeadow.org.uk .
Paul Brettle
----- Original Message ----- From: "enofan2000" <tim.beesley@...> To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 3:27 PM Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] A few Questions...
> I'm pleased to 'meet' you all. > > I was turning out old papers last week and came across the deeds etc > that I got when I bought a plot of AM land back in '83. It brought > back some fond memories of times past and sent me all dewy-eyed with > nostalgia over a number of things. > > So, what did happen to the field in question? Is it, as I understand > from searches so far, a bird reserve? How did a decision to use it > for that get reached? Was there a ballot of owners? I'm quite happy > with its chosen use if that was the case, but I am curious as to how > the purpose was decided upon, as, after the sale went through, I > heard nothing more about it, other than to attend, what I remember > as a celebratory fete. > > I did move house a couple of times in that period of my life, so > it's quite likely that there were further mailings after that, that > I did not receive. > > Can anyone fill me in on history of events to date? > > Is a register of owners being kept? Or is the owner now the RSPB? Or > there again, is the site only leased to them? > > I like the idea about the name being put onto the OS map of the > area. Is there a way of the matter being pursued? Perhaps a > discussion with the local MP / Council would reinforce the request? > It seems a valid request to me. There are, after all the 3000 owners > (at least) who may want to find that particular field, plus locals > who know it as that, and in addition, anyone who has a historical > interest for research purposes. > > Tim Beesley > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > >
AA Routeplanning have kindly agreed to add Alice's Meadow to their database.
To find a route from any location to Alice's Meadow go to the AA
Roureplanning site at http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp,
enter "Alices meadow" as your destination - making sure that you omitt the
apoostrophe!
Have fun!
Hi Tim
A couple of answers -
i) there was no ballot of landowners concerning the uses of Alices Meadow.
It is currently managed by the Fencott & Murcott Parish Council under the
terms of a "covenant" between them and the (then) Wheatley Friends of the
Earth group.
The parish council derives an income from the field by tendering out the
grazing rights for the field. The current trienniel grazing licence period
runs until 7th April 2007.
I have asked the chairman of the parish council for sight of this covenant,
but they have declined to let me have a copy. I am now considering making an
application under the freedom of information act to see this covenant and
other documentaion relating to their management of the field.
There are a number of questions about the status of this agreement. Firstly
when was it signed? Before or after the field was sold off? Secondly, the
field was bought and sold in the name of William Joseph Weston: So if the
FOE were never the owners of the field would they be competant to enter into
any covenant with the parish council in the first place? Thirdly, as the
covenant was not mentioned at all in the conveyances which partitioned the
fieldwould it be binding on the 3000+ successors in title to the field? The
conveyance certainly gives the impression that ALL rights (with the
exception of a mutual right of way) including grazing rights, were conveyed
with each plot.
ii) The RSPB nature reserve, might owe it's existance in part to the success
of the Alices's Meadow campaign, but it covers a completely separate piece
of land, occupying a large portion of the south of Otmoor.
iii) There is no register of members. As might be expected a lot of people
involved in the sale/purchase of Alice's Meadow have moved since - including
William Joseph Weston. He may still keep details of all the parties to whom
it was sold, but I have not yet been able to contact him. That is in fact
one of the puposes of this group, to try and make connections between those
of us who participated in what was a singularly successful example of
environmental action involving the general public.
BTW: Please do not get the impression that I am "anti" the parish council.
It makes a lot of sense for Alices Meadow to be managed by local people, and
for that to be done in such a way as to to produce a revenue stream that
makes it self sustaining, and which benefits that community. In fact it is
probably the only practical solution to managing a field that is notionally
owned by several thousand individuals. I just think that the legal basis on
which it is being done is pretty shakey and I would like to see something
more robust in place.
There is a bit more information on www.alicesmeadow.org.uk .
Paul Brettle
----- Original Message -----
From: "enofan2000" <tim.beesley@...>
To: <alicesmeadow-landowners@...>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 3:27 PM
Subject: [alicesmeadow-landowners] A few Questions...
> I'm pleased to 'meet' you all.
>
> I was turning out old papers last week and came across the deeds etc
> that I got when I bought a plot of AM land back in '83. It brought
> back some fond memories of times past and sent me all dewy-eyed with
> nostalgia over a number of things.
>
> So, what did happen to the field in question? Is it, as I understand
> from searches so far, a bird reserve? How did a decision to use it
> for that get reached? Was there a ballot of owners? I'm quite happy
> with its chosen use if that was the case, but I am curious as to how
> the purpose was decided upon, as, after the sale went through, I
> heard nothing more about it, other than to attend, what I remember
> as a celebratory fete.
>
> I did move house a couple of times in that period of my life, so
> it's quite likely that there were further mailings after that, that
> I did not receive.
>
> Can anyone fill me in on history of events to date?
>
> Is a register of owners being kept? Or is the owner now the RSPB? Or
> there again, is the site only leased to them?
>
> I like the idea about the name being put onto the OS map of the
> area. Is there a way of the matter being pursued? Perhaps a
> discussion with the local MP / Council would reinforce the request?
> It seems a valid request to me. There are, after all the 3000 owners
> (at least) who may want to find that particular field, plus locals
> who know it as that, and in addition, anyone who has a historical
> interest for research purposes.
>
> Tim Beesley
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
I'm pleased to 'meet' you all.
I was turning out old papers last week and came across the deeds etc
that I got when I bought a plot of AM land back in '83. It brought
back some fond memories of times past and sent me all dewy-eyed with
nostalgia over a number of things.
So, what did happen to the field in question? Is it, as I understand
from searches so far, a bird reserve? How did a decision to use it
for that get reached? Was there a ballot of owners? I'm quite happy
with its chosen use if that was the case, but I am curious as to how
the purpose was decided upon, as, after the sale went through, I
heard nothing more about it, other than to attend, what I remember
as a celebratory fete.
I did move house a couple of times in that period of my life, so
it's quite likely that there were further mailings after that, that
I did not receive.
Can anyone fill me in on history of events to date?
Is a register of owners being kept? Or is the owner now the RSPB? Or
there again, is the site only leased to them?
I like the idea about the name being put onto the OS map of the
area. Is there a way of the matter being pursued? Perhaps a
discussion with the local MP / Council would reinforce the request?
It seems a valid request to me. There are, after all the 3000 owners
(at least) who may want to find that particular field, plus locals
who know it as that, and in addition, anyone who has a historical
interest for research purposes.
Tim Beesley
The Ordnance Survey have turned down a request for Alice's Meadow to be marked on their maps.
Apparently it doesn't meet their current criteria, which are:
"recording something of national/historical importance only or a field that has been presented to a community for recreational use and may have a name such as ‘St Georges Recreational Ground’ bestowed upon it by the local council."
This seems a bit high handed as 1. It was a nationally significant campaign, and remains an important environmentalist victory; & 2. The name "Alice's Meadow" is used officially to describe the field by the local Parish Council when inviting bids for a grazing licence for the field.
It seems that the 3000+ plot holders in the field don't represent a "significant customer base" as far as the Ordnance Survey are concerned.
The good news is that the AA have agreed to include Alice's Meadow in their route planning system, at their next update.
Hello,
The moderator of the alicesmeadow-members group has changed the
group's name. This means that both the group's email address and the
group home page location have changed.
The group email address:
alicesmeadow-landowners@...
The group home page location:
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/alicesmeadow-landowners
If you have links which point to this group or an address book entry
for the group, you should update them, as the old addresses will no
longer work.
Regards,
Yahoo! Groups Customer Care
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