The term 'Village Green' here is used in the limited sense of a green which was registered under the Commons Registration Act 1965 [1] or the Commons Act 2006 [2], and does not necessarily apply to areas that might be thought of as greens. A village green is land on which the local inhabitants have a customary right to indulge in 'lawful sports and pastimes'. They may therefore be used for riding horses[3], subject to any byelaws and the respecting of other inhabitants' rights to indulge in their lawful sports and pastimes. The right to ride on a village green can be excluded by byelaw made under the Open Spaces Act 1906 [4] by the parish council (or district council in an area where there is no parish council). Further information on registering village greens can be obtained by joining the Open Spaces Society.

24 acres of Village Green at Woodcock Hill in Elstree Parish

• Woodcock Hill off Barnet Lane, Elstree, was regsitered as a Village Green on 8 Jul 08.

References
[1] Commons Registration Act 1965
[2] Commons Act 2006 (c.26)
[3] Lancashire v Hunt (1894) 10 TLR 310
[4] Open Spaces Act 1906

© 2009 Patchetts Green Bridleways Trust