Alice's Meadow
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alice's Meadow is the name given to a small field in the Oxfordshire parish of Fencott and Murcott, England. It became the focus of a campaign by local people and Friends of the Earth, who opposed government plans to route the M40 motorway across Otmoor.
The name 'Alice's Meadow', is a reference to Lewis Carol's book - Through the Looking-Glass, which is said to have been partly inspired by the 'chess-board-like' field pattern of Otmoor.
It lies to the north of Otmoor, between Fencott and Murcott, and was directly on a proposed route for the motorway - which would then have continued, bisecting Otmoor.
The field was purchased by Wheatley Friends of the Earth, and then sold off to supporters in small plots. This was intended to significantly delay the construction of the motorway, by allowing protestors to formally appeal the compulsory purchase of each of the 3000+ plots.
This tactic was only possible because under the HM Land Registry regulations then in effect, transactions involving small plots of un-registered land were exempt from registration. The regulations have since been revised, and any unregistered plot, regardless of size, must now be registered on transfer. Because of the Land Registry charges that would be payable under the current regulations, it is unlikely that this form of direct action will be repeated in England and Wales.
Interestingly, under the regulations for the Land Registries of Scotland and Northern Ireland, small "souvenir plots" are still specifically excluded from registration.
The motorway was eventually built on an alternative route (avoiding Otmoor) - which was recommended following a public inquiry.
The field is currently managed by the Fencott and Murcott Parish Council, which lets out the grazing rights.
