Sir – The riverbank in Jericho claimed by the ‘Friends of Castle Mill Stream’ as their private property is unregistered for the simple reason that the Land Registry did not exist on January 24, 1790, when the Oxford Canal Company bought this land from the Rev Peter Wellington Furse.
The Oxford Canal Company’s ownership of this land is confirmed by the record of land valuations of 1912, made by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue.
The Oxford Canal Company is now part of the Canal & River Trust.
Unless it can be shown to the contrary, the trust owns this disputed riverbank as part of the canal and river network which, as the trust’s vision statement says, “is a national treasure — accessible to and cherished by all”.
Tom Hassall, Oxford
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here