The Commons Registration Act 1965 required local authorities in
England and Wales to establish registers of common land and town
and village greens within their areas. These registers would record
the extent of the land, the owners of the land and any rights of
common held over the land.
All registrations were initially provisional to provide an
opportunity for any objections to be lodged against the particulars
of any individual case. In anticipation of disputes arising on the
question of boundaries, ownership or rights, section 17 of the Act
provides for Commons Commissioners to be appointed to settle these
disputes.
The Commissioners must be barristers or solicitors of at least
seven years' standing. They have no direct powers to intervene in
registrations and deal only with matters referred to them by the
Commons Registration Authorities usually the appropriate County
Councils. In addition to adjudicating on disputes as described
above, they also enquire into the ownership of unclaimed common
land and greens.
The following Commissioners' records relating to Peterborough
are known to exist:
- 19, and 20, April 1983: cause lists.
Held at Huntingdon Record Office.
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