Villagers lose battle for right of way

Villagers in Melbury

Osmond have lost their battle to have a tract of land on Ilchester Estate declared a public right of way.

Following a site visit, a Planning Inspectorate officer decided not to confirm an order opening the land between a Higher Holt Farm pathway and a Fuzzy Grounds bridleway to the public.

In his report, the officer wrote the order could only be given if the applicants could prove 20 years’ use of the route by the public ‘without interruption’. Referring to oral evidence given by villagers, the inspector wrote: “Viewed collectively, it is apparent from the evidence that the order route was not well used during the first half of the relevant period…(the) level of use is not, in my opinion, sufficient to bring the use of the order route to an alert landowner.”

The officer wrote that the land was used as footpath more extensively after 1992. But he added: “I am not persuaded that even this level of use was in practice sufficient to alert the landowner to the use of the order route.

“The consistent evidence of the objector’s witnesses is that they rarely, if ever, saw people using the order route. That evidence was not seriously challenged by the applicant.”

The report stated the level of use was ‘not sufficient to bring to the attention of the landowner that the way was being used as if it were a public right of way’.

The officer said the applicants offered no documentary evidence in support of their case but noted that the landowner had put up signs informing people the land was private.

It was also noted in the report that the landowner had erected Dorset gates and electric fencing to deter people from using the land as a right of way and had issued laminated cards to estate staff offering guidance on how to deal with trespassers.

PAGAN VIEWS

by JO BELASCO

There is a beautiful threehare roof boss in Corfe Mullen church. Fascinated, I started researching what the symbol meant. My head was spinning from all the different theories – tinners, masons, witches, moons and shaman. I ate, slept and walked hares for a few days trying to find an origin that sat well with me. I woke in the night with a possible answer: humour me...

A long time ago in Corfe Mullen the lord of the manor was getting married. To honour the occasion a competition arose to create the best new roof boss which would decorate the local church for the prestigious wedding. Whoever won would be rewarded with ten gold sovereigns and a permanent position as head stonemason for the Lord of Corfe Mullen.

Rivalry was fierce and ideas guarded even between brothers such as George and Wendel. George had long been jealous of his brother Wendel’s imagination but had noticed Wendel’s sight was failing. That day