Oxford’s green spaces face ‘similar threats’ 100 years on

The Oxford Fieldpaths Society this week celebrated 100 years since it was founded, in 1926, and it remains an important campaigner for access to nature and one of the UK’s oldest walking groups.

It was formed to protect the footpaths, bridlepaths and commons in the neighbourhood of Oxford to prevent them from being paved over or forgotten, and to make people aware of the paths they’re allowed to use.

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One hundred years ago, the threats facing walkers on public footpaths mainly came from private landlords putting up ‘private property’ notices to prevent access to paths which had always been walked.

The Oxford Fieldpaths Society celebrated its 100th anniversary (Image: Ed Nix)

After founding members of the Fieldpaths Society painstakingly mapped and charted the public rights of way across the area, the paths are firmly secured for everyone’s access.

Today, however, the main issue facing footpaths is their re-privatisation through major developments on great swathes of land – from new-build housing estates to quarries, solar farms and business or science parks.

“It’s a big task,” said Jennifer Byrne, chairman of the society’s executive committee. “We’re doing exactly the same thing they did 100 years ago.

“These days it’s an increasing volume of work which falls on fewer and fewer people.”

Jennifer Byrne, chair of Oxford Fieldpaths Society (Image: Ed Nix)

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The society works with Oxfordshire County Council‘s countryside access team and checks every planning application which goes through the system for footpaths which are frequently ‘ignored’ by developers.

Ms Byrne added: “Some private diversions are, of course, acceptable – we’re not against expansion.

“But when it’s a blatant obstruction of a footpath, that’s a bit more contested.”

Protecting the footpaths and public rights of way that earlier society members worked so hard to establish remains a key part of what Oxford Fieldpaths does, at a time when developments become ‘harder to constrain’.

Oxford Fieldpaths Society, archive picture (Image: Oxford Mail archive)

The committee chair said: “Without protection, everything will get lost.

“People’s access to the countryside – which is good for wellbeing, fresh air, sharing in the beauty of the English countryside – is so important.

“And once it’s lost under concrete, it will never reappear. It’s important to take a stand at the start.”

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As well as a lobbying group, the society educates people on what footpaths are available and funds waymarking – which serves both walkers and landowners by stopping people from roaming onto private land.

Beyond that, Oxford Fieldpaths Society is well-known as a sociable walking group with a ‘faithful’ following of around 140 members, though not all of them regularly walk.

For its centenary year, the society hosted a celebratory AGM and plans to host 100 group walks across the year, continuing the legacy.