A WOMAN whose family has owned land in Metherell for three generations has hit back at proposals to turn a footpath on their property into a public right of way. Nicola Thornton said her family has owned the land, which includes the ancient footpath from Newton Farm to Metherell, for 100 years. The family has now closed the path. An appeal by the Caradon branch of the Ramblers? Association to Calstock Parish Council for the footpath to be officially registered and put on the Definitive Map as a public right of way was reported in the Times last week. The association said the path should have been put on the Definitive Map when it was completed. But Mrs Thornton said the path is part of the family?s history ? it was not a right of way and never has been. On behalf of her family, Mrs Thornton said: ?It is not as a result of an error that the footpath has not been included as a public right of way on the Definitive Map, but as a result of an informal discussion with two local Calstock Parish councillors and the landowner during the first world war. ?It was suggested that Calstock Parish Council could no longer afford the upkeep on the footpath and therefore the best option was for it to be closed.? Mrs Thornton added that the landowner at that time ? the present landowner?s grandfather ? gave permission to use the footpath to friends, family and neighbours. The local postman at that time, Ned Heron, used to pay 6d a year to use the path. Mrs Thornton said cattle have regularly grazed in the fields which contain the footpath and over the years a bull has often been present. Now the landowner is semi-retired and keeps a small herd of beef cattle in the field, which have calves with them at all times, and a bull. Mrs Thornton said: ?These cows can be very anti-strangers and any walkers would be at considerable risk.? She said as the path was the only land owned suitable for grazing it was with regret that the landowner now felt that because of pressure to make the footpath a public right of way, it would be closed to everyone. ?The current landowner will not be selling the land now or in the future. ?The landowner feels very strongly that it is wrong that strangers can try to tell you what can or cannot be done with your own land. ?Where is the law that can take away something you have owned for 100 years?? In their efforts to get the footpath officially registered as a public right of way, the Caradon group of the Ramblers? Association had appealed for anyone who had used the path in the past to contact them.
