A RECENT news item in a national paper recorded that builders had won an appeal which allowed them to build large numbers of houses on two village greens. This was despite opposition from the respective local councils and the villagers themselves.

In reading about those decisions, it made me wonder whether the future of our village greens is at risk or whether there are adequate safeguards for these historic and important areas.

Ownership of the greens is clearly an issue and while some of them might be owned by the parish church, the villagers themselves or indeed a private landowner, the fact is they are a vital element of any village, and a wonderful place to spend leisure moments. Some are blessed with a small pond, others have wooded areas around them and many offer free grazing for a range of domestic livestock from sheep to geese.

This has been their role down the centuries. They are pleasing patches of greenery within built-up areas and they offer relaxation of all kinds.

A quick look at some of the activities centred upon those greens shows just how frequently they are used, and how essential they are to the well-being of the residents.

One of my lists of such activities records traditional folk dances, maypole celebrations, folk drama productions, sports and games, fairs and markets, civil and manorial customs, religious events, the celebration of saints’ days, Bonfire Night festivities, archery contests and in fact almost any other celebration that may include weddings and important public events.

Some greens contain structures that remind us of former times. The war memorial is one example, but we can include a set of stocks and a pillory. On some greens there may be a small and curious rounded structure with a stout locked door – in all probability, this might be a tiny prison cell for troublemakers and thieves who were arrested by the parish constables of former times. They were held in such cells until they appeared before either the Assize Court or Quarter Sessions.

There may also be a similar but roofless structure for impounding stray animals until claimed by their owners, and inevitably there will be benches, some even sporting picnic tables. We should not ignore the village well and sometimes a disused but well-maintained village pump.

Should it ever become necessary to address the entire population of the village on some matter of great importance, the village green was the logical assembly point and some even offered a flight of steps on the ancient village cross upon which the speaker could stand to address the multitude. Cricket and football matches were often decided here too and in some cases the green served as the playground for the local schoolchildren.

Village greens vary enormous in size and shape. I think it is fair to say there is no regular pattern or design, and not all are within the centre of the community.

Some appear to be very tiny, apparently having been squeezed into a small place simply because there was no other suitable location while others seem huge and far from level, with some in the North York Moors forming the village centre. For example, Hutton-le-Hole would not be the same if its undulating green, the home of many browsing sheep, was obliterated by largescale housebuilding.

Fortunately, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has issued guidance on how to register land as either a town or village green.

However, this does not appear to be quite as simple as one might wish, and much of the guidance is couched in “government-speak” which can confuse anyone.

However, the statute is The Growth and Infrastructure Act which came into force as recently as October last year. It makes a significant number of changes to the law on registering new town and village greens under the Commons Act of 2006. This is featured in section 16 of the 2013 Act and if my reading of its provisions is correct, it says that the right to apply for registration of land as a green remains excluded unless and until a terminating event occurs in relation to the land.

Trigger and terminating events are listed in Schedule 1A of the Commons Act of 2006 and broadly relate to whether the land is identified for potential development in the planning system.

I leave the interpretation of this to those better qualified than I!

Further details can be obtained from the website www.gov.uk/town-and-village- greens-how-to-register. 

I HAVE just read a delightful book that features a police dog called Rowdy who was a member of the North Riding Constabulary’s police dog section. It is entitled Rowdy and is written by Christine Lovie, of Guisborough, daughter of Fred Holtby, who was one of the first six dog handlers in that force. Fred died in January 2008, having transferred to Cleveland Constabulary during the boundary changes of 1974. Fred would often contact me about matters relating to Skelton Brass Band, especially if I had mentioned Skinningrove Silver Band in this column.

Christine has written this book from Fred’s diaries and notes, and I must say I enjoyed every moment of it.

The North Riding police dog section was formed in 1963 with Rowdy being one of the first six dogs and handlers who started a new type of policing.

From the beginning there were those sceptics who did not foresee a future for these canine coppers and regarded them as an expensive but unnecessary luxury, but Fred, Rowdy and the others soon quashed those criticisms. Not only did the dogs help to keep order in troublespots and protect their handlers, they also helped to detect crime and trace criminals. They located stolen goods too, but also provided entertainment and education at agricultural shows and elsewhere.

The capability and intelligence of the dogs was astonishing.

Christine tells one story when Rowdy picked up a baby’s dirty nappy and took it to the bin without being told to do so, and then picked up the baby by its clothes and carried it to its mother. But it was outside in the rough and tumble of Scarborough in the holiday season with criminals and troublemakers creating havoc that Rowdy excelled.

There are some heroic stories in this book, and some wonderfully funny ones, with Christine capturing Fred’s knack of telling a very good story about his police dog with a floppy ear.

For anyone who has no idea of the problems in society, especially those that confront police officers on a daily basis, this book provides an enjoyable and highly readable education.

  • Rowdy by Fred Holtby and Chris Lovie is published in paperback by Farthing Publishing of Scarborough at £9.99 and is available from Amazon, Lulu and Guisborough Bookshop.