When is the Deadline to Claim Unregistered Rights of Way?
Rights of way are often hundreds of years old and have come about through ancient usage or the enclosures of historic commons. A legal right or way which has been established does still exist to this day even if it is not recorded. Prior to 1949, rights of way were not recorded together on a single map. Rather they would be dedicated legally in disparate acts. Without a central location to identify rights of way it became clear that such paths were at risk of becoming forgotten and lost. During the 1940s, the increase in intensive farming lead to the removal of the majority of hedgerow radically altering the countryside landscape. In turn this mean many footpaths would run through open fields further increasing the chance they would be lost for good.