Says Hertfordshire County Council

I have checked with my colleague who deals with Common Land and Village Green searches and she has confirmed that we do not hold such a thing as a Commoners’ Rights Register. We hold the Common Land Register, which typically lists the rights of commoners, and we have the corresponding maps and applications as well as two folders of objections.

We contacted the Hertfordshire Terrier to find out if the County Council had ownership of the Common at any point and this was the reply:

“According to our Terrier records, there is an area of land at Chorleywood Common: Chorleywood : Incorporated Into Highway.

Terrier Reference H291 holds the following information:-

1. H.M. Land Registry Title, dated 21st February, 1938 - Mrs. L. L. Dewsnap to Hertfordshire County Council.

2. Agreement dated 3rd December, 1937 - Mrs. L. L. Dewsnap to Hertfordshire County Council.”

In terms of our holdings of the records of Chorleywood Parish Council, we only have the following:

Reference Acc 3538 (part):

Box 1 Scrapbooks of correspondence, pamphlets, receipts, notices, newspaper cuttings, etc concerning Parish Council matters [Also includes papers respecting other local organisations, including Chorleywood Golf Club, Chorleywood Cricket Club, Chorleywood and Chenies Horticultural Society, etc], 2 vols, 1898 – 1908

Box 2 Information files containing photocopies of miscellaneous documents from the Parish Council, and other local organisations during the nineteenth century [Including Chorleywood Golf Club and Rickmansworth, Chorleywood and District Electric Lighting Syndicate], 2 files, nd [c1970s]

Reference Off Acc 546 (part):

Chorleywood Parish Council minutes, 2 vols, 1898-1913

A search of Hertfordshire Names Online (www.hertsdirect.org/hals), Access to Archives (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a) and our archive management software for material relating to Chorleywood Common which may be of interest to you

• Reference: 70470A –A Plan of the Manor of Rickmansworth Hertfordshire. By Henry Sayer, A D 1828. [Photocopy in eight sections]. Total acreage unstated being almost all of the Parishes of Chorleywood and Rickmansworth. Names of some fields. Commons, woods and large houses; names of adjoining landowners. Bridges. Chorleywood Parish was formed from part of Rickmansworth in 1898
• Reference: UDC8/31/4 – Chorleywood Urban District Council, surveyor’s correspondence file, byelaws mostly relating to Chorleywood Common, Jul 1958 – Jan 1969
• Reference: UDC8/31/5 – Chorleywood Urban District Council, correspondence on Commons Registration Act 1965, Jan 1966 – Sep 1970
• Reference: GH/241-247, Letters concerning an exchange of lands in the manor of Rickmansworth, Morris, Thomson, Dawes and Williams, piece of common land at Chorleywood opposite Dawes House, 9 Aug – 1 Nov 1819
• Reference: GH/248, Deed of appointment by way of exchange of lands, 1 Jan 1824, (1) John Barnes, Esq, of Chorleywood Common, Rickmansworth, (2) Robert Williams, Esq, William Williams, Esq, of Birchin Lane, & Thomas Lane Esq, of Goldsmiths' Hall (3) Various copyhold tenants with rights on Chorleywood Common: S Salter - Rickmansworth, Edmund Morris - Chorleywood, William Belch - Chorleywood, James Belch - Mill End, Rickmansworth, Joseph Swannell - Mill End, [Mark of] John Howard, Westhide, Rickmansworth, Samuel Bryant - Chenies, Eliz Putnam - Rickmansworth, Thos Brown Weedon - Mill End, John Swannell - Mill End, John Sheppard - Chipperfield. Endorsements - Note on death of Thomas Lane on 10 Jan 1824 dated 20 Feb 1824
• Reference: 75925, sales particulars and plan, Chorleywood Cedars Estate including Appletree Farm and six cotteges; Wyatts Farm; five cottages at Chorleywood Bottom; cottage called Youngers; Hubbards Farm; land in Bury Common Field; cottage known as Allens Dell on Chorleywood Common; The Hole or Beechcroft Farm. Three prints of house on plan, 30 Oct 1861

With regards to the legal issues surrounding the ownership of the common, it is advisable to get in contact with the Rights of Way Service here at Hertfordshire County Council, in particular the Countryside Access Team who deal with open access land. The Rights of Way number is 0300 123 4047. Symon Gaughan is the countryside access officer for Rickmansworth and Chorleywood.

As for the rest of Chorleywood Parish Council’s records, you will need to speak to them again to ascertain where they have deposited them or if those records are still in their custody.