The Battle for Broxhead Common
BW54 meets BW4 & 46
The Case for Hampshire County Council – PART 108
- The gates at the junction between the three bridleways numbered 54, 4, and 46, were both unnecessary and difficult.
- The large iron monster just sat there perennially obstructing two thirds of the bridleway where it eventually became covered in brambles, while the small gate beside it was hung so low that it was inevitably stuck on the ground, or the bottom rung was buried in the sand especially after any rainfall.
- We complained about it on several occasions, and the Farm Manager would promise to keep it clear, but it didn’t take much rain to wash the sand over the bottom rail of the gate, so unless he checked it daily there would be no chance of stopping the problem. Sometimes I would wonder if I could get through anyway as quite often it only opened halfway and that was not enough to get a horse through. What it really needed was either taking away altogether as it served no purpose, or re-hanging.
- It began to seem as if the horrible gate obstructions on the bridleways were meant to act as a deterrent to the lawful users of it.
- If you look closely at the pictures the newly planted hedge around the fenced 80 acres can be seen.
The gate at BW4 & 54 (002)
The Gate, Broxhead Common junction BW46 & BW4
Next time: The next pair of gates about 100 yards away, have a slightly longer story.