On 12 Feb 2014 at 1:58pm joannapiana wrote:
Does anyone know who owns the bit between Baxters Field and Paddock where the keep horses?
In lastest Lewes news it mentioned people are breaking the fence so they can get between the two…. I thought perhaps if they put a path or at least access between the 2 , then this would solve their problem (and would be quite useful!)
On 12 Feb 2014 at 2:52pm Ruth wrote:
The Wycherleys I think
On 12 Feb 2014 at 3:31pm Ben wrote:
Its known locally as Wycherleys field. It does indeed belong to Ann Wycherley. A path would be a great idea.
On 12 Feb 2014 at 3:35pm bastian wrote:
That would expalin the lack of grass for the horses to graze on and the muddy and cramped conditions in which she keeps 4 horses. The field is in an appalling state for animals to be kept in.
On 12 Feb 2014 at 4:14pm thisandthat wrote:
you should see some of their properties!
On 12 Feb 2014 at 7:17pm joannapiana wrote:
in Lewes News (the free little paper which comes through the door) it had a little article about this and a plea for people not to break the fences and a contact e mail address- does anyone still have a copy and can let me know the e mail address and I will email (my copy has already found its way into the recycling due an over eager recycler in the house)
On 13 Feb 2014 at 6:41am Idea wrote:
Baxters field is also privately owned, in effect, and Fran Whittle organises both that and Lewes News, I think- it was probably her article asking for people not to break the fence.
When I need to get from one bit to the other I consider it a challenge to make it over, or through, the fences. And I expect to be able to sue either party if I hurt myself on their ever elaborate contraptions should I hurt myself doing it.
Take the horses out, put in a couple of kissing gates, and stop being so petty about ownership of what should be a public space. After all, the story goes that the Wycherlys bought the middle bit for the public good (stopping a proposed bypass in the 70's).
On 13 Feb 2014 at 11:10am Bumpkin wrote:
people seem to a funny idea of private ownership in this county, they say that this and that should be done as it would benefit the public.
But how would you like it if someone demanded a pathway through your garden just to save them walking up the road to the other side?
On 13 Feb 2014 at 11:12am Bumpkin wrote:
it's like with this cycleway, the national park is intent on going ahead with it with no real thought at the cost to the landowners who actively use the land
On 13 Feb 2014 at 1:32pm belladonna wrote:
Why would they want to put a path through private property, Joannapiana ? Who would pay for it ?
Bastian - if you are concerned about the conditions the horses are kept in maybe you should call the RSPCA ? The field is bound to be a bit muddy at the moment and a friend used to keep her horse there a couple of years ago and was happy with conditions, they don't exclusively graze on grass there, they have feed as well.
Idea -I agree it should be publicly owned, as should Baxters - which is collectively owned by some of the houses on Bradford Road and The Avenue. But having said that, if the council were in charge they would prpbably sell it off for development....or charge us extra on our council tax for more public space.....
On 13 Feb 2014 at 1:39pm Bob & Jean wrote:
Spot on Bumpkin. Why should someone built a path for people to walk across private grazing land when existing, public route are already available.
On 13 Feb 2014 at 2:21pm geoff wrote:
joannapiana Lewes News email address is [email protected] Fran Whittle will be able to you.
On 13 Feb 2014 at 3:22pm Local Bod wrote:
Just to clarify, I don't think Baxters field is privately owned by some houses in Bradford Rd and the Avenue. I think Lewes residents (including some in the roads mentioned) all donated money to ensure that it was retained as an open space, and it is now owned and very well maintained , by a charitable company.
As long as the horses are fine, I think it is rather nice to have such a rural country feeling in that area. I don't need to walk across it when there is an attractive road each side.
On 13 Feb 2014 at 3:59pm fifi wrote:
The horses do not belong to Wycherleys . Generally horses need an acre of grazing each with spare land for resti ng and using in rotation . Most horse owners would think 4 on that piece of land is too many but as long as hay is provided all the time it would not be a welfare issue .
On 13 Feb 2014 at 4:37pm bastian wrote:
belladonna, there is NO grass in the field, which means the horses are in danger of getting foot rot. There is hay to eat, but the mud is from one corner to the other.
On 13 Feb 2014 at 4:51pm fifi wrote:
There are health issues for horses standing constantly in mud . Its possible too that the horses could break the fences themselves looking for grass .I would not want my horse on that piece of land but there are plenty of animals with no owners and no care .
On 13 Feb 2014 at 4:53pm Ed Can Do wrote:
Baxters' Field was originally bought by a limited company setup for the sole purpose of buying the field to prevent it being sold to a developer. People living in Bradford Road, The Avenue and Demontford Road were invited to become shareholders which was how the money was raised to buy the field. I don't beleive there was a contribution from any level of local government meaning the field was, at that point anyway, privately owned by the shareholders, i.e. the households in those streets who contributed.
I have no idea whether it has subsequently been changed to a charity or a trust or what but since being taken over the field has gone from being a private playing field the Grammar school used with a very easy to climb over wall when it was time for sledging to a very pleasant space open to the public with a much safer access and a wheelchair ramp down the other end.
If memory serves, the developers who wanted to buy it had plans for 20 odd detatched houses on there. I remember they did the traffic impact survey thing on a bank holiday meaning there were virtually no cars driving up and down Bradford Road. My dad joyfully drove his car backwards and forwards over the sensor for half an hour to bring the stats back towards a normal weekday...
On 13 Feb 2014 at 6:03pm Another resident wrote:
Baxters is certainly owned by a company, and it is certainly run charitably by unpaid directors, and funded by residents and I don't think that all the people that gave money all live in the immediate area. What i definitely know is that whoever does own it does a much better job looking after it than some of the developers who would have liked to build some of the poorly constructed developments we now see littered around the town. Like of course, it's namesake Baxters Printworks, which has been a disaster from start to 'finish' ( a patchy sagging cracked render finish) So well done whoever is doing such a fantastic job.
If there are problems with the horse field raise them with someone.
On 14 Feb 2014 at 9:07am Sjep76 wrote:
With regards to having a pathway between Baxters Field and the Paddock, surely it is only a couple of minutes walk down or up Paddock Road to get to the other, why is a pathway between them neccessary?
On 14 Feb 2014 at 4:42pm Earl of Lewes wrote:
The people who bought Baxters field effectively gave a wonderful gift to the local people. Like many people in the town, my garden is ridiculously small, with no room for children to run around in, so I really appreciate the fact that only five minutes away, there is a huge space for my sons to run around in. It's lovely on a spring or summer's day, with the Castle in the background.
On 22 Feb 2014 at 11:48pm Voiceofreason wrote:
Why do some people find it so hard to walk a little further onto Paddock Road?? The fence is there for a reason to keep people out and the Horses in! Think about it, if you break the fence down and the horses get out onto the main road it could be potentially catastrophic! Why not go and talk to the really nice people who have the horses there rather than slate them.