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North Norfolk News
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News & commentWe have compiled an exhaustive selection of news articles telling the story thus far of the battle for Hanworth Common. We would like to give our express thanks to the Eastern Daily Press and the Guardian for granting us permission to republish these articles. Did you watch Whose Britain Is It Anyway? on Tuesday 10th January 2006 at 9PM on BBC2? The plight for Hanworth Common featured in this edition! Peter and Dan Snow lifted the lid on how few of Britain's 60 million inhabitants own its 60 million acres of land. They revealed that 90 per cent live on about 10 per cent of the land and that homes are now a third smaller than previous generations'. While the Forestry Commission is still the largest landowner, the Church has sold off over a million acres in recent times; and Prince Charles earns £36,000 a day from his Duchy of Cornwall land holdings and property portfolio. With thanks to http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo Embattled common – peace talks planned23 August 2005 07:30 Villagers gave a "cautious" welcome last night to the latest twist in a battle over a Norfolk common after legal action was postponed for out-of-court talks. Residents at Hanworth, near Cromer, were gearing up for the start of a potentially long and expensive case to resolve a row over the ownership over the village common. But solicitors acting on behalf of Robert Harbord-Hamond and the commons committee called off their first Norwich County Court date yesterday to schedule round-the-table discussions. Villagers declared the news as a "positive" result, especially when the last of "illegal" barbed wire fencing was removed at the weekend. Tony Hadlow, from the Hanworth Commons Committee, said he was hoping that the matter could be resolved to avoid escalating legal bills. Mr Hadlow and fellow trustee Dick Price would be liable to pay Mr Harbord-Hamond's costs, which currently stand at £35,000, if a judge ruled against the committee. He said: "It is encouraging that Mr Harbord-Hamond wants to negotiate with us and I see the sense in talking about it. "But at the end of the day the village is unanimously against him having anything to do with the common. "It is always a problem when you are standing in the frontline that you could be liable for costs, but now that the fence has gone, things are very positive and people feel that we are getting somewhere." The ownership dispute erupted more than four months ago when Mr Harbord-Hamond fenced off the 35-acre site for grazing cattle. Despite ordering the dismantling of the posts and barbed wire last week, the son of Lord Suffield still maintains that his family has owned the deeds and rights to the land since the early 1900s. But committee members are adamant that the common was handed over to them in 1974 and do not want him to have any involvement with it. Mr Harbord-Hamond said last week that he was "happy" to surrender the management of the common, but the committee had to "pull their socks up". A letter from his heavyweight solicitors Farrer and Co added that he was glad to discuss an out-of-court settlement and had every intention of properly maintaining the common. Robert Corbishley, chairman of the commons committee, said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the latest developments. He said: "We always knew the fencing would come down because it is illegal under the laws of England and Wales, but the ownership issue is more important. "We obviously do not want to incur more costs, but we want to establish our ownership." About 250 people took part in a family fun day at Hanworth on Sunday, which raised more than £1100 for the village's fighting fund. Victory over Norfolk landowner who fenced in village greenSam Jones A "remarkably feudal" row between a group of Norfolk villagers and a descendant of William the Conqueror appeared to have ended yesterday when the latter agreed to take down the barbed wire fence with which he had enclosed the village green. The dispute began four months ago when the Hon Robert Harbord-Hamond, youngest son of the 11th Baron of Suffield, erected the fence around the common in the village of Hanworth, Norfolk. Mr Harbord-Hamond, who returned to his family seat in Norfolk after a career in the City, claimed the 14-hectare (34 acre) green had been "stolen" from his family by local people. He is thought to have based his claim to the common on records which showed that the third Lord Suffield was granted the land in 1777 in return for giving £10 worth of bread to the poor.
But villagers said Mr Harbord-Hamond had accused them of being "thieves, liars and cheats" and of snatching the land from his relative, Doris Harbord, in her old age. The dispute escalated in the spring when villagers said they felt intimidated by a man who was "patrolling" the green with binoculars and a dog. Police were called to the area at least 10 times in April. It also emerged that they were asked to investigate a complaint of criminal damage to the fence and that Mr Harbord-Hamond felt he was the target of threats and verbal abuse. The 100 residents of Hanworth eventually decided to take Mr Harbord-Hamond to court to contest ownership and access to the common. They said that they and their ancestors had grazed livestock, walked dogs and played with their children there for generations. The campaigners began raising a fighting fund for the court case as the trustees of the common would be liable for costs - and risked losing their homes - if they lost their legal challenge. Villagers also won the support of the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, Norman Lamb, who described the enclosure of the common as "completely out of order" and "remarkably feudal". Mr Lamb said: "It's important to try to get the two sides together but my view is it is unacceptable to fence in common land this way. "I'm very much on the side of the people of the village who want to get the fencing down." In an effort to resolve the dispute, two county court dates were announced, with North Norfolk district council contesting Mr Harbord-Hamond for installing the fence, and the Hanworth Commons committee seeking to establish ownership of the land. But yesterday Graham Bull, the council's corporate director, said he had received a letter from Mr Harbord-Hamond explaining that he would not be defending the council's action and would be removing the fence. "I took a walk up there today and quite a lot has been taken down over the weekend," he said. "It has not all been removed, but then it took more than a day to put up. We are now deciding what to do with regards to the final order and the issue of costs." Dick Price, a Hanworth Commons committee trustee, said: "This is a move in the right direction. There is still quite a way to go, but we are feeling optimistic." Truce in turf war only temporary16 August 2005 07:17 A baron's son vowed to continue a commons land battle yesterday, despite taking down fences. Villagers were delighted and relieved at the weekend when workmen began taking away posts and barbed wire around Hanworth Common, near Cromer. But just when it seemed that a four-month dispute was coming to an end, Robert Harbord-Hamond said he would see commons trustees in court. The third son of Lord Suffield conceded defeat over North Norfolk District Council-led legal action on Saturday, which will see all the barbed wire fencing around the 35-acre site removed. But despite condemnation from local council officials, residents, MPs and peers, over the "illegal" fencing of common land, Mr Harbord-Hamond said he had done nothing wrong. The landowner added that he had ordered the dismantling of the fence to concentrate his time and money on realising his affordable housing dream for fields off Overstrand Road, Cromer. "We put it up originally to keep the travellers off the land, but if the council want us to take it down, that is what we will do," he said. "I have been fighting with the council for the last five years over affordable housing and it is not worth fighting another battle over a fence." "The most important thing to deal with is the affordable housing because that is Cromer's major need. I would rather help the people than argue with squatters at Hanworth." Mr Harbord-Hamond recently resubmitted plans for 40 key worker and affordable homes on the former golf practice green at Cromer, despite being rejected by district councillors twice. He claims that he owns the deeds and rights to Hanworth Common, but would be willing to sit down with members of the commons committee to talk about it. "I am quite happy to give them the management of the land, but they will have to pull their socks up. If they are responsible and cut it three times a year, I will give them an agreement to manage it for five years," he said. But Dick Price said the commons trustees, who go to Norwich County Court next Monday, had "no interest" in meeting Mr Harbord-Hamond or looking after "his" land. The committee believes that they were awarded the common in 1974. Graham Bull, corporate director, said North Norfolk District Council was "very pleased" that Mr Harbord-Hamond had seen "common sense" in removing the fencing. He added that the council was "giving some thought" over whether to drop the planned enforcement hearing, due at county court on October 20, or continue it to clarify the legal position for the future. Village regains its common - for now14 August 2005 19:02 It was the moment families in a quiet Norfolk village had been waiting for but feared would only be possible after a court case. Contractors removed a large section of the now infamous post and barbed-wire fence surrounding Hanworth Common, near Cromer, at the weekend, almost four months after it was put up. But although villagers were delighted that access to the common - both for people and for the cattle grazed there - was being returned almost to normal, concerns remained about the future. Workmen - thought to be acting on behalf of landowner Robert Harbord-Hamond - started dismantling the fence on Saturday morning, confirming rumours earlier in the week that something significant was about to happen. The fencing had surrounded the vast majority of the 35-acre common, split into a number of different areas. Over the past weeks and months, various sections have been cut, removed or taken away, with the fencing ending up in a ramshackle state. It had been raised in April on the orders of Mr Harbord-Hamond. Parts of the common are still fenced, with no clarity over what might happen next. Mr Harbord-Hamond was unavailable for comment. "We are obviously glad to see the fence coming down," said Robert Corbishley, chairman of the Hanworth Commons Committee. "But of course we feel it was sad that it went up in the first place. However, we are still aware that Mr Harbord-Hamond is trying to get ownership of the common. We await any further moves he may make with interest." And villager Steve Francis echoed similar sentiments. "I am glad to see the back of the fence," said Mr Francis. "But being the old cynic I am, from what has gone before, I don't know what will happen next. Everything has been so unpredictable - nothing would surprise me." The complicated and drawn-out process of taking legal action has already seen two county court dates announced. The first, which will seek to deal with the ownership of the land, will be later this month. The second, which had been organised to deal with the fencing, will take place in October. The commons committee has been pursuing the former matter and North Norfolk District Council has been pursuing the latter. Party at fenced common attracts hundreds07 August 2005 18:08 It was an idyllic rural scene - people enjoying cream teas in the sunshine on the village "green". Except for the fencing. And the post and wire lines across historic Hanworth Common near Cromer were the reason the crowds were there. The event was to fuel the fighting fund of local people in the midst of a legal battle with businessman Robert Harbord-Hamond over the fencing and ownership of the area. Campaigners were delighted when around 400 people dropped in on Saturday afternoon - double the number expected - raising £724, nearly treble the sum they hoped for. It stretched catering supplies as organisers ran out of cakes and ice cream, and saw extra helpers drafted into the kitchen. But fund-raising committee organiser Gill Wilton said it was a show of public strength against the actions of Mr Harbord-Hamond, which is currently being contested in the courts. There were just 68 villagers, so they needed support from farther afield and people came from all over the county to rally behind the locals. They included Jeannette Chapman from Caistor near Norwich, who said: "We have never been here before, but have been reading about the situation in the EDP and wanted to support the villagers. If it is a common it should be open for everyone." The fencing was put up on the 35-acre common by Mr Harbord-Hamond in April, sparking anger among villagers who mounted a campaign to fight the move. A legal expert has said that whoever owned the common cannot put up fencing without permission from Government level, but legal papers have only just been lodged with the courts. In a separate action, a hearing over the ownership question is due on August 22, the day after the next fund-raising event, a fun day with old-fashioned stalls running from 2-5.30. Mrs Wilton said whatever the outcome of the court actions, campaigns aimed to keep the events going - to ensure the beauty of the common, and access to it, was enjoyed by as many people as possible. Politicians back 'ugly' fence protest16 July 2005 07:16 Two Norfolk politicians pledged their support yesterday to a campaign against "illegal, ugly and dangerous" barbed wire fencing around a village common. North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb and peer Lord Walpole hope to put pressure on local and national government to come to a solution over the Hanworth land. As previously reported by the EDP, Robert Harbord Hamond, the third son of Lord Suffield, enclosed the common more than three months ago, claiming to own the picturesque 35 acres. But North Norfolk District Council says the fencing is unlawful, and is seeking legal action to remove it. Yesterday, Mr Lamb and Lord Walpole met more than a dozen concerned residents and members of the Hanworth Commons Committee, who are fighting their own ownership battle in the courts. They will be writing to the district council and the police expressing villagers' anger and frustration at the lack of action to remove the fencing. "It is outrageous, feudal and extraordinary that this has happened in this day and age and the villagers have every right to feel angry. "We have to make sure that the legal action by the district council happens quickly," said Mr Lamb. Lord Walpole, who owns the nearby Wolterton and Mannington estates, said he would be raising the matter when the House of Lords hears a second reading of the Common Land Bill 2005 next Tuesday. "The current situation is totally unbelievable, but I hope it is dealt with before Norman and I get the answers to our parliamentary questions," he said. "The fencing is totally illegal under existing law, regardless of who owns the land, but the new Bill will add structure and clarity on the way commons are run." The Bill, which is unlikely to be passed until the end of the year, aims to protect commons from development by allowing villagers to form voluntary statutory associations to protect local land. Robert Corbishley, chairman of the Hanworth Commons Committee, welcomed the support ahead of an August 22 high court date to argue the ownership issues. "We hope this visit will help restore the situation. It is important that this space remains safe for children to play, residents and visitors to exercise their dogs and horses, and remain open for public use," he said. Campaigner suffers heart attack17 June 2005 08:37 Villagers embroiled in an increasingly unpleasant row over a Norfolk common were dismayed last night after one of the group had a heart attack following a confrontation. Robert Corbishley, chairman of the Hanworth Commons Committee, was involved in an argument about the cutting of grazing paddocks on Wednesday. Shortly afterwards, he felt unwell and went to see a neighbour. The result was a trip to Cromer Hospital, followed by a speedy referral to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, where the diagnosis was confirmed. It is not clear exactly who else was involved in the row, who did what or what was said - and the heart attack may not necessarily be directly linked to the argument. But tensions in the village near Cromer rocketed yesterday as news of Mr Corbishley's heart attack scare emerged. Villager Steve Francis said: "Because of this incident feelings are running higher than ever. Robert Corbishley has been our kingpin in this. "There is a real concern in the village that this could all end with someone being seriously injured or even dying, it has got that serious." And former police officer John Peverill, another villager, said he also had "serious fears" about what could happen. As previously reported extensively in the EDP, the main dispute involves the ownership of the common and the fact it has been fenced. Villagers and members of the commons committee believe they own the land and that it should not be fenced under any circumstances. Robert Harbord-Hamond says the land is his and has fenced it with barbed wire, much of which has been cut, then reinstated, left lying on the ground or removed in recent weeks. Both the ownership and the fencing issues look set to end up being decided by a judge in the county court. Mr Corbishley's wife Gill Wilton said yesterday her husband was stable and had been taken to Papworth Hospital for further treatment. The heart attack had been comparatively minor, she said, although Mr Corbishley had been in "severe pain". She also said they would formally approach the police about the confrontation on the common. The argument over the mowing apparently centred on the height at which the grass was being cut, which can have an impact on the grazing quality for the cattle. After being asked about Mr Corbishley's heart attack, Mr Harbord-Hamond said: "I am sorry to hear he is in hospital. "He bought himself some bad karma by trying to steal the land off me. "I have prayed for all of them." Mr Harbord-Hamond, who was not present at Wednesday's incident, said the mowing was necessary to prevent thistles flowering and subsequently seeding. There has also been angry criticism of the police and their handling of the long-running issue. Villagers who have dialled 999 several times since the dispute began have said they feel let down by the response of officers. Last night, Supt Berni Cartwright said: "Norfolk Constabulary is aware of the issues surrounding the civil dispute in relation to Hanworth Common. "Officers have been and will continue to patrol the area on a daily basis, and the mobile police station has also been deployed in the area. "We will continue to monitor the situation, and whilst it is a civil matter any offences will be dealt with robustly." A spokeswoman for Papworth Hospital confirmed last night that Mr Corbishley was in a stable condition. Common row flares up31 May 2005 02:22 The battle over a North Norfolk common flared up again last night, when a villager ripped down controversial fencing after cattle stampeded through his prized garden. Police were called to Hanworth, near Cromer, when Stephen Francis took down about a third of the post and wire fencing, which has been put up on the picture-postcard spot by local businessman Robert Harbord-Hamond. He claims to be the owner and plans to graze his own cattle there, but his move has angered villagers, who are fighting the ownership claim through the courts. North Norfolk District Council argues the fencing is illegal whoever owns the land and is seeking to get it removed through court action. Villagers had been advised not to take the law into their own hands while the legal wheels were turning, but a the tea-time incident involving runaway cattle proved too much for Mr Francis. His house is just off the common, the other side of a cattle grid, but the animals, which had escaped and become spooked, jumped the grid and left hoof prints all over his lawn around tea time. "I saw red, and took down some of the fencing by backing into it with my truck," he explained. "If the fences were not there, and the cattle could wander freely this would not have happened. They have caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage." His wife, Susan, said she liked animals, but "I object to them wrecking my garden." Mr Harbord-Hamond pointed out the cattle were not his, and had been put on the common by villagers who were using them as tool as they tried to "squat" on the common. They had vandalised the fencing - but he would leave it to police to decide on what action to take, and the courts to rule on the longer term issues involving the common. "They are using the media to harass me. I did not take 10 years to get the estate in hand to have it taken away by people who are rude to me. If they were reasonable they would find I am a generous and loving guy," he added. A police spokesman confirmed that officers were called to an altercation involving fence posts. Officers have been called to the normally tranquil village several times since the row erupted in April, when contractors erected the barbed wire fence around three sections of the common. Barbed wire on common to be removed10 May 2005 06:30 Court action is being taken to remove barbed-wire fencing from a North Norfolk common. The peaceful pastures of Hanworth Common have become the battleground for a dispute between businessman Robert Harbord-Hamond, who has fenced it in claiming the land is his, and residents, who say it belongs to them and want the posts and wires taken down. North Norfolk District Council's Cabinet yesterday agreed, under an item of urgent business, to seek a county court order to get the fence removed. Corporate director Graham Bull told councillors fencing could only be put on common land with permission from the Secretary of State. A letter was sent to Mr Harbord-Hamond giving him a week to show he had permission, but there had been no response. Going to court would cost around £50 for an order and up to £1000 for a day's worth of barrister time, which they would seek to get back in costs from Mr Harbord-Hamond if they won the case. Mr Bull also said the county council was poised to get the fence removed if Mr Harbord-Hamond claimed it was on highway rather than common land. Cabinet backed the move to seek a court order, with Margaret Craske saying the council was there to serve the public and should act with "all urgency". Commons trustee Tony Hadlow said the second dispute, over land ownership, was already under way through the county courts. Fury as village fence stays put06 May 2005 06:27 Villagers spoke of their "anger" last night after a deadline to remove a controversial fence around a village common passed without action. Local aristocrat Robert Harbord-Hamond, who claims to own the 35-acre site at Hanworth, near Cromer, put up the barbed wire fencing three weeks ago for grazing cattle. But a request by North Norfolk District Council to prove that he had permission to fence off common land, or remove it within seven days, appeared to have been ignored last night. Robert Corbishley, chairman of the Hanworth Commons Committee, said he was "frustrated", but "not surprised" that the four-strand wire fencing still remained. "We are all fed up that this crude fencing is spoiling visitors' time and enjoyment, because a tremendous amount of people come to the common," he said. "I think Mr Harbord-Hamond thinks he is above the law and can deny our right to roam," he said. The commons committee, which also claims ownership, and the district council believe the fencing is "unlawful" under section 194(2) of the Law and Property Act. The council's corporate director Graham Bull said he wrote to Mr Harbord-Hamond, son of the 11th Baron Suffield, last week asking him to produce permission from the Secretary of State or take it down. Now that the seven day deadline has expired, the next course of action was to go to the council's Cabinet, which meets on Monday to get a county court order. "There is a issue of ownership, but whoever owns the common cannot fence it," he said. "If the county court are satisfied he has illegally fenced a common, they can make an order for the fence to be removed and if he does not obey them, he will be in contempt of court." Villagers and visitors have already pledged thousands of pounds for what is expected to become a long legal battle. "He still insists that he can do what he wants with the common, but even if he owns it there are very strict guidelines on what can be done with it," said Mr Corbishley. Mr Harbord-Hamond, who lives in a cottage at Hanworth, continued to offer a "no comment" to the land dispute yesterday following advice from Royal solicitors Farrer and Co. Local resident and former policeman John Peverill, who formed a fighting fund, is still waiting to hear if he will be prosecuted for removing six fence posts at the common last week. Barbed wire may be down in seven days06 May 2005 00:47 A baron's son who put a barbed wire fence around a Norfolk village common has been ordered to prove that he had permission to put it up, or remove it within seven days. North Norfolk District Council yesterday said that it had written to Robert Harbord-Hamond asking him to produce permission from the Secretary of State for the fence at Hanworth Common, near Cromer. Graham Bull, the council's corporate director, said that permission was necessary before fencing off common land, regardless of any dispute over ownership. He said that if Mr Hamond could not produce this consent he would have to take the fence down within seven days or risk legal action. "We sent a letter to Mr Harbord-Hamond on Wednesday explaining that he needed permission from the Government before fencing off common land, which we are pretty sure he doesn't have," he said. "We have asked him to confirm that he has this or remove the fence within seven days. "If this fails we will ask the council's Cabinet to get a county court order. "If the court are satisfied he has illegally fenced a common, they can make an order for the fence to be removed. If he doesn't obey them, he will be in contempt of court." Tempers flared in Hanworth after Mr Harbord-Hamond, youngest son of the 11th Baron Suffield, put a four-strand barbed wire fence up to keep villagers off the land to the fury of those who had walked on it for many years. Mr Harbord-Hamond claims the land is his, but members of the Hanworth Commons Committee believe it belongs to them. The villagers are now mounting a county court battle to try to resolve ownership and a 'fighting-fund' has been set up to ensure their costs are met. One resident, John Peverill, is waiting to see if he will be prosecuted for lifting six fence posts out of the ground to allow his neighbours to take their usual walk across the common. Mr Peverill said that about £30,000 had been pledged towards the fighting fund, with £1500 in the kitty already. Children also raised £400 at the weekend by staging a sit-in in the village. On the mapSaturday April 30, 2005 The unlawful fencing of Hanworth common in Norfolk (Report, April 28) is a high-profile case, but there are countless other commons which have been fenced, built on or incorporated into private gardens, and nothing is being done to rescue them. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 gives us the right to walk on every common in England and Wales, and they are now shown on maps. As a result, people are discovering what they have lost. Our survey of 60 commons in the east Midlands revealed that more than one-third has disappeared. We want a change in the law to give local authorities the duty, and the public the power, to take enforcement action - otherwise there will be few commons left to walk. Kate Ashbrook No love lost in the barbed wire village29 April 2005 08:30 It has become a heated talking point in homes, pubs and supermarket queues across North Norfolk – a member of the landed gentry versus an entire village, sparring for ownership of a beautiful common. The tale of Hanworth Common, near Cromer, becomes more convoluted by the day, with accusation and counter-accusation flying across the barbed wire fences now installed around the land. But one of the villagers at the centre of the dispute has put unexpected pressure on the authorities to make a decision about the legality of the controversial fence – by demanding to be interviewed by police in connection with accusations he damaged the fencing. When John Peverill saw his elderly neighbours unable to walk their dog on Hanworth Common because of the four-strand barbed wire fence erected in front of their home, he decided to take action. He freely admitted to the police – and to the EDP – that he lifted six of the posts out of the ground so the fence fell flat, allowing his neighbours to go for the walk they have taken twice a day for years. When asked about his actions by police, he insisted he wanted to be officially interviewed on tape about the incident. Mr Peverill, himself a former detective with Norfolk police and a Parkinson's sufferer, believes the subsequent decision about whether to charge him could help clarify the confused legal situation surrounding the fencing. It is the latest round in a complex and increasingly bitter row in the village near Cromer, which has seen question marks over both the fencing and the ownership of the land. Hanworth Commons Committee members believe they own the common, but businessman Robert Harbord-Hamond says it is his. "I moved the posts because I feel my neighbours, who are elderly and infirm, have a legal right of access to the common, even if it means moving the fence posts," said Mr Peverill. "I saw them one day struggling to crawl underneath the barbed wire and I felt that was utterly humiliating for them. "And when the fence was altered from two strands to four, they could not even get under, so I took action." The police interviewed Mr Peverill on Monday and the information has been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service for a decision. "I wanted to test the water to get a decision on whether it was classified as criminal damage or not," said Mr Peverill. "There's a bit of devilment in me that says I wish it would go to court and then we could really have this all out properly, once and for all." Mr Peverill has also been inspired by the row to draw a cartoon featuring three of the cottages, including his, plus the barbed wire and members of the "Hanworth Resistance". He said the cartoon demonstrated that alongside the distress being felt, there was still a sense of humour alive and well among the villagers. There are 50 copies of the cartoon available at £5 each. All monies will go towards a fighting fund. Anyone with contributions to the fund can contact Mr Peverill on 01263 761628. We have been asked to point out that speculation about Mr Harbord-Hamond having an interest in Aldborough Green, similar to his interests at the commons in Hanworth and Roughton, is incorrect. Mr Harbord-Hamond told the EDP he had no intention of making a claim to the land at Aldborough. Village revolt as common people take on City gent over land rightsIntimidation claimed in contest over ancient green Patrick Barkham Plump pheasants pick their way across the grass and ducks circle the pond on the common. Tucked away in the green folds of north Norfolk, little has disturbed the bucolic peace of Hanworth since Saxon times. But now this tiny community of brick and flint cottages near Cromer has been thrown back into the feudal era after a descendant of William the Conqueror seized control of the village common he claimed had been "stolen" from his family by local people. The Hon Robert Harbord-Hamond, youngest son of the 11th Baron of Suffield, erected a barbed-wire fence around the 14-hectare (34-acre) common last week. A reformed drug addict who returned to his family seat in Norfolk after a career as a City trader, Mr Harbord-Hamond insists he is the rightful owner. The 100 residents of Hanworth are in open revolt. They confirmed yesterday they would take Mr Harbord-Hamond to court to contest both ownership and access to the common, where they have grazed livestock, walked dogs and played with their children for generations. If they are defeated, some residents fear they could lose their homes. As tensions rise, villagers claim they have felt intimidated by a man with binoculars and a dog who has been "patrolling" the common. The police have been called to the conservation area at least 10 times in the past week. In turn, Mr Harbord-Hamond, who has been living in a rented cottage on the edge of the green, is understood to feel he is the one being threatened and verbally abused. Officers are investigating a complaint of criminal damage to his fence. Susan Frances has grown up with the green where her grandfather used to put chickens, geese and goats out to graze. "This has always been common land for hundreds of years," she said, gazing across the barbed wire. "I've lived here all my life. No one wants this fence down more than I do. It's like Colditz. It's absolutely horrendous." Cherry and Reg Simpson's house now has barbed wire around three sides. "It's such a sleepy, tranquil place and this man has caused mayhem," said Mrs Simpson, who has lived in Hanworth for 18 years. "He may or may not have a claim to the common. That's hardly the point. He's got a security guard parading round the common with a pit-bull. My neighbour is too frightened to go to bowls at night because she doesn't want to meet this chap. "It's disrupted a lovely, quiet hamlet and made people anxious and worried, especially the old people. Everybody living in Hanworth wants the common back." Many of the houses in the village still have ancient grazing rights in their title deeds. In 1974 the national commons commissioner awarded the ancient green to the villagers. No one objected and a management committee was formed of four trustees, who let the common to a local grazier. For 31 years, grazing fees have been used to keep the common tidy, drained and maintained, with every resident receiving a share of any excess - £1 each in recent times - at the year end. While villagers claim Mr Harbord-Hamond accused them of being "thieves, liars and cheats" who snatched the land from his relative Doris Harbord in her dotage, Mr Harbord-Hamond is believed to be basing his claim to the common on records showing the third Lord Suffield was granted the land in 1777 in return for giving £10 worth of bread to the poor. Mr Harbord-Hamond claims to be acting in the benevolent spirit of his ancestors, particularly the third Lord Suffield, renowned for his charitable works. After quitting his fast-living City lifestyle, Mr Harbord-Hamond had a spell in the Priory, the addiction treatment centre, before returning to Norfolk on a mission to provide affordable homes for local people. An ambitious scheme to build homes for key workers on a putting green in Cromer was rejected as Mr Harbord-Hamond took control of his estate, which he claims stretches across a large swath of north Norfolk. According to Mr Harbord-Hamond, he took his estate out of a trust in which it had been held ever since the third Lord Suffield feared his son, an inveterate gambler, would squander the family fortune. Dick Price, one of the village common trustees, said local people were "intimidated" by Mr Harbord-Hamond and the workers who erected the fence. "People are fed up and some are a little frightened. He has men walking about the village with a dog. An associate of his has parked a caravan on the common. We don't know what he is going to do next." Mr Harbord-Hamond said he had been advised not to comment on the dispute. While he is trying to sell the common in a neighbouring village, Roughton, for development, it is understood that he plans to manage Hanworth common in a traditional way for cattle grazing. According to Mr Harbord-Hamond's estate office, the man in the caravan on the common is not a security guard but a Traveller on whom the landowner took pity. The caravan-dweller has told both sides he has been "sent from God". Mr Harbord-Hamond is understood to be confident the commons commissioner's judgment will be overturned. Meanwhile, Hanworth residents are amassing a fighting fund for the court case. The trustees of the common would be liable for costs - and could lose their homes - if they lost their legal challenge. North Norfolk district council has backed the villagers, and the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, Norman Lamb, has pledged his support. "It's completely out of order. It strikes me as remarkably feudal," Mr Lamb said. "It's important to try to get the two sides together but my view is it is unacceptable to fence in common land this way. I'm very much on the side of the people of the village who want to get the fencing down." Twist in row over village commons26 April 2005 19:21 A volatile village commons row took a bizarre twist today after the man at the centre of the dispute confirmed he was about to widen his attempts to take ownership of land across North Norfolk. The actions of local businessman and landowner Robert Harbord-Hamond have already caused anger and distress in Hanworth, near Cromer, where – as reported previously in the EDP – he has fenced the common and claims he owns it. The legality of the fencing has been called into question by legal experts, but the issue remains so far unresolved. Police have been called several times to various related incidents and an angry meeting of the Hanworth Commons Committee was held last week in a bid to find a way to have the fence removed and the arguments settled. But Mr Harbord-Hamond, who has consistently maintained a stance of not commenting to the press on the Hanworth issue, has told the EDP he is about to take a similar stance at Roughton Common, just a few miles from Hanworth. He said in a brief statement: "We are putting Roughton Common up for sale as development land this week." The common in Roughton lies alongside the A140 and is essentially used as a community asset, with swings available for public use and a small stream running through the common. It is also understood that Mr Harbord-Hamond may try to make similar moves at the green in Aldborough, an idyllic area of grass at the centre of the village, used as a cricket pitch and overlooked by houses and pubs. Whether he has intentions for other greens and commons has not become clear, although rumours have been circulating locally. But for now the confirmation that Mr Harbord-Hamond has taken such a close interest in the land at Roughton will undoubtedly come as a shock to many of the villagers. The common has been registered in the name of Roughton Parish Council for over 30 years, according to members. Parish council chairman Gil Hunt said Mr Harbord-Hamond had written to the council some time ago expressing his view that the common was his. "We have replied to Mr Harbord-Hamond and indicated that the common was in the name of Roughton Parish Council and had been since 1972," said Mr Hunt. The common has seen previous controversy when travellers camped there, upsetting locals. And there was also trouble over the installation of play equipment in the 1990s, when the swings were replaced. Village common fence row hots up26 April 2005 09:19 Attempts to remove a controversial fence around a Norfolk village common took a significant step forward yesterday after a legal expert said it should never have been put up. And Graham Bull, corporate director at North Norfolk District Council, also cited recent local precedent for legal action which could see the deeply unpopular fence at Hanworth removed. People living in the village and its neighbouring communities have pledged to lobby the authorities this week, asking them to seek removal of the post and barbed-wire fencing. They have encouraged residents and anyone else with an interest in the common to write to the district council and put pressure on it to take action under specific 80-year-old commons law. But it appears the council has already taken the concerns on board and may act soon. It is the latest chapter of an unpleasant and volatile row over the ownership of the land, a few miles from Cromer. As reported previously in the EDP, police officers and the courts have already been involved and accusations of assault and criminal damage made. Two opposing sides claim ownership of the land in question, one of the largest enclosed commons in the country. The two sides are the Hanworth Commons Committee, alongside the villagers, versus local landowner Robert Harbord-Hamond and heavyweight solicitors Farrer and Co. The commons committee and the council have insisted that irrespective of the question over ownership, which could take weeks or months to resolve through the courts, the fencing is a separate issue and should be removed at once. They believe it is unlawful under section 194(2) of the Law of Property Act which, in the words of the commons committee, gives the authorities the power "to take the necessary action to ensure removal of these unlawful works". And Mr Bull told the EDP yesterday: "There are two separate strands to this - one is the ownership and the other is the fencing. Whoever owns the common, they can't fence it." Mr Bull said the Act in question had been used in North Norfolk recently at Thwaite Common. He added that the council had agreed to give financial and legal assistance to the commons committee "where we can". The likely process would involve approaching the county court with an application for paperwork ordering the removal of the fencing. Gill Wilton, who has been leading much of the village campaign and is the wife of commons committee chairman Robert Corbishley, said the mood in Hanworth was understandably heated, but urged people not to take the law into their own hands. Villagers to battle for Saxon common25 April 2005 07:26 Angry villagers are drawing up battle plans to recapture common land fenced off by the local squire after a weekend public meeting.
Hanworth, near Cromer, has had a common since Saxon times and to this day villagers use the land to graze their livestock. But last week contractors began putting in a barbed wire fence around the common. It is the latest episode in a row that has seen police called, court injunctions sought, at least one accusation of assault, criminal damage committed and old documents put under scrutiny, as villagers battle for control of the ancient common. The fencing, which now runs along the edges of three sections of the common, was put up on the orders of local landowner Robert Harbord-Hammond, who claims ownership of the land. But villagers point to a 1974 decision by the Commons Commissioner to put it in the hands of Hanworth's Com-mons Committee and say that even if it does not own the land as a common it should be open to the public. On Friday night more than 100 villagers crammed into the Hanworth Memorial Hall, which stands on the common's edge, to formulate a battle plan to see Mr Harbord-Hammond's fences off the common. Commons committee chairman Robert Corbishley, 64, reassured villagers the law was on their side. "It's quite clear that the fencing is an illegal act," he said, but he stressed that people should not interfere with the fences, warning that they could be accused of criminal damage.
"What could be more satisfying than watching him take down the fences himself, which is what he will have to do," said Mr Corbishley. He also asked villagers to pool money for a fighting fund for the three trustees of the common to continue their legal battle for the land. And he warned that if they were defeated the bill could run to tens of thousands of pounds - so people had to be prepared to pledge significant sums to support the trustees in the event that the case was lost. There was spontaneous applause for trustee Tony Hadlow, 53, who prom-ised to keep up the battle despite the risks. "Financially we (the trustees) stand to lose more than anyone and we had to think long and hard about whether we should stand up. But we felt it was a cause worth fighting for and we are all standing firm," he said. Mr Harbord Hammond said he had been advised by his solicitors not to comment. But it is understood he believes the common was never properly conveyed to the committee and questions the Commons Commissioner's decision to pass it to them in 1974. It is believed that he intends to graze Aberdeen Angus cattle on the land. Row over Hanworth Common22 April 2005 06:15 It may appear the perfect Norfolk village, with attractive brick and flint houses and a well-kept common. But all is not well in Hanworth, a tiny community boasting just a few dozen houses, as contractors have been erecting a barbed wire fence around the edges of three sections of the common. To those who live in Hanworth, this is the physical evidence of an unseemly row that has seen police called, court injunctions sought, at least one accusation of assault, criminal damage committed and old documents put under scrutiny. At the heart of the quarrel is the ownership of the common, which at 35 acres is one of the largest enclosed commons in the United Kingdom. The battle being waged has seen the formation of two distinct sides. On one is the Hanworth Commons Committee backed up by most of the villagers. On the other is Robert Harbord-Hamond, local squire and businessman, supported by solicitors Farrer and Co, a famous law firm boasting the Royal Family among its clientele. Both parties say they own the land. The result has been widespread upset throughout the village - and it would appear set to continue, with fears the row will become an expensive saga played out in the courts, possibly civil and criminal. Police spokesman Jon Smith said officers had been called to the village twice yesterday. The first call was to investigate an incident of criminal damage - the barbed wire erected in recent days had been cut, apparently in several places. The second call was to an angry dispute taking place on the common between the two parties. The spokesman said officers advised both sides to speak to their solicitors, as the matter was a civil one. Gill Wilton, who shares a house at the edge of the common with husband Robert Corbishley, chairman of the commons committee, said: "These are very anxious times for the residents. "Everyone is very concerned with what has been going on and it doesn't seem there is an end in sight. "We have tried to do everything by the book and don't condone things like the wire being cut." Sue Francis, who has lived in the village all her life, said her elderly mother was finding the situation particularly difficult because she had been recently widowed. "She is very anxious about the whole thing and even scared," said Mrs Francis. Mr Harbord-Hamond said yesterday he had been advised by his solicitors not to comment to the Press. But it is understood his argument revolves around the belief the land was never properly conveyed to the commons committee and doubts about a 1974 decision made by the commons commissioner in favour of the committee. It is also understood that Mr Harbord-Hamond intends to graze his Aberdeen Angus cattle on the land once it has been fully fenced. |
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