Regaining access to Bishon Common and its SSSI

The Parish Council are supporting an application to add a footpath across Bishon Common to the definitive footpath map as it would give the public the right to access Bishon Common (see below).

The common is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the flora and fauna displays of which are stunning throughout the Spring and Summer.

The lane and path across the Common was made a public road in the Bishopstone and Mansel Lacy Enclosure Act 1839 (copies are held at Herefordshire Record Office). The lane was used as access for the next 130 years until the cottages were demolished in the 1970’s; it was around this time the Common was made a SSSI site.

Back in 2002 the new owner of Greentrees a cottage on the Common, placed a gate across the lane and prevented access to the Common.  After complaints by members of the public, a site meeting was set up between the land owners, parishioners and Parish Council and the gate was removed. Within the last 6 months the gate has been reinstated.

“The lane as always been used as access to the Common in my lifetime and my fathers and has been continually used up until the present date,” said John Macklin, Chairman of the Bishopstone Group Parish Council.  “The Parish Councillors were concerned that if the application was not granted that access by the parishioners and public to the SSSI site on Bishon Common would be lost forever.”