Overploughed Paths in West Sussex
The following schedule records parish by parish the paths in West Sussex (outside of the South Downs AONB) which have been reported to us up to May 2006 as having been overploughed and/or overcropped without proper restoration.
By law, farmers are allowed to overplough paths, but must within 14 days
make good the surface and indicate clearly the line of the path,
so as to make it reasonably convenient for the public to use the right of way.
The restoration of the surface must extend over a minimum width of:
- 1 metre for a cross-field path
- 1.5 metres for a headland path (though it should not be necessary for these to be ploughed at all)
- 2 metres for a cross-field bridleway
- 3 metres for a field-edge bridleway
- 3 metres for any carriageway
The map references given are generally for the whole path, though usually it is only part of the path that is affected. The next column gives that detail if it has been reported to us.
What you can do:
Please put on your big boots and go and walk these paths. Take small steps so as to make your track as clear as possible. Your footsteps will then encourage others to follow. Use the direction of WSCC 's finger-posts, the OS map, and if necessary a compass, to determine the correct line of the path. Do not worry if the crop has already started to grow: you are legally entitled to trample it down as it has been sown there illegally by the farmer. Pls drop me a line at nigelsloan2001@yahoo.co.uk to say that you have walked a particular path from the list below.
Whilst you should take reasonable care to keep to the line of the path, do not worry if you stray slightly: I am advised that as it is the farmer's fault for not restoring the line of the path, he must accept the reasonably foreseeable consequences. In the unlikely event of being challenged by a farmer, explain to him politely that you are only trying to find the right of way - could he please help you by identifying the correct line? If the farmer insists there is no path, or that it has been diverted, then do not insist on your rights but back off, but note the exact place & time of the incident, & a description of the person, and report it to me.
| Parish | Path No. | Map References (for whole path) |
Details of problem (if recorded) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albourne | 11ba | ??? | |
| 20 | 263158-264158 | ||
| 3 | 259996-264168 | ||
| 4 | 257179-258184 | ||
| 4b | 254175-257179 | ||
| 5 | 252180-117930 | ||
| Angmering | 2156 | 049042-060033 | |
| Ashurst | 1866 | 169171-170178 | |
| 2518 | 177171 -185172 | ||
| 2521 | 177169 -183167 | ||
| Colgate | 1587 | 211335-209330 | From A264 south to jct with 1588/1 |
| 1591 | 206338-208337 | From S. of Benson's House to jct with 1590 | |
| Cowfold | 1746 | 206231-203234 | |
| 1761 | 200213-197194 | ||
| Crawley | 353sy | 280396-272138 | From jct with 1528 |
| East Grinstead | 42 | 375373-364366 | |
| 43a | 375373-382373 | ||
| Henfield | 2390 | 215174-217181 | |
| 2542 | 215167-223176 | ||
| Horsted Keynes | 26 | 384259-381258 | |
| Hurstpierpoint | 14a, b | 287205-295202 | |
| 16 | ???? | ||
| 18 | 284197-288199 | ||
| 1a, b | 249189-254118 | ||
| 2 | 252188-248184 | ||
| 24, 25 | 270187-273187 | ||
| 43d | 271156-271149 | ||
| 56a | 282185-286183 | ||
| Itchingfield | 1607 | 125281-121279 | From jct with 1620, SW to edge of setaside |
| 1618 | 135275-137274 | Entire length | |
| 1623 | 128285-131286 | From jct with 1621, NE to field edge | |
| 1624 | 128285-126285 | From jct with 1623, NW to field edge | |
| Lindfield Rural | 17 | 370228-376230 | |
| Loxwood | 804 | 044309-051303 | Section across field |
| 805/1 | 049292-053293 | Entire length | |
| Newtimber | 1a | 267152-267148 | |
| North Horsham | 1586 | 197335-195332 | From where path turns SW, to field edge |
| Nuthurst | 1716 | 175261-183259 | From Ghyll House Farm E. to farm track |
| 1815 | 180260-176255 | From jct with 1716 SW to field edge | |
| Rudgwick | 1346 | 077299-094299 | From jct with 1346/1, E then S |
| Rusper | 1486/1 | 177370-180374 | From Railway NE to field edge |
| 1548 | 233359-219368 | ||
| 1565 | 199366-202360 | From Horsham Rd SE to field edge | |
| Slinfold | 1457 | 106303-112301 | Short section between Whitbreads farm track and trees |
| Southwater | 1617 | 137274-141273 | From jct with 1645 SE to field edge |
| 1652 | 144264-149261 | From jct with 2929 E to houses | |
| 1654 | 150264-150262 | From Church Lane to jct with 2929 | |
| 1663 | 175277-176274 | From Coltstaple Lane SE to field edge | |
| Turners Hill | 69 | 332354-332351 | Entire length |
| Upper Beeding | 2746 | 230118-234121 | |
| Warnham | 1414/1 | 147365-150362 | From Denne Farm SE to field edge |
| 1432 | 140340-138343 | From jct with 1427 NW to field edge | |
| 1446 | 150332-146334 | Entire length | |
| 1581 | 153317-162322 | From jct with 1580 NE to field edge | |
| West Grinstead | 1841 | 194192-206188 | |
| 1841/1 | 194189-194188 | ||
| 1842 | 170207-165221 | ||
| 1843 | 172208-178214 | ||
| 1847 | 187197-177191 | ||
| 1849/185 | 183194-186191 | ||
| 1851 | 186191-177192 | ||
| 1853 | 169203-163199 | ||
| 1854 | 170201-176197 | ||
| 1855 | 170202-170204 | ||
| 1856 | 184199-169203 | ||
| 1860 | 162119-155189 | ||
| 1866 | 170181-169171 | ||
| 2372 | 184187-194183 | ||
| 2372/1 | 195189-193184 | ||
| 3220 | 166181-164173 | ||
| Wiston | 2709 | 144138-146139 | |
| 2710 | 144142-147135 | ||
| Worthing | 3114 | 109052-107048 |
