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The following notes on the history of the Freeman’s Marsh have been provided by Robert James:
Freeman’s Marsh fulfils the same purpose for the Sanden Fee Commoners as the Common Port Down does for its Commoners of the Town.
There are about 75 acres of permanent pasture, marsh and bog which is grazed by 30-35 store cattle each year including some typical alkaline with the River Dun and side streams fed from springs all of which form the countryside feature to the west of the town. At the eastern end the Shalbourne Brook joins the River Dun flowing eastwards towards the town through the adjacent meadow known in recent times as Hungerford Marsh.
In addition to the rivers the railway and Kennet & Avon Canal traverse Freeman’s Marsh from east to west with little impact upon the scenery and after 200 years both fit into the surroundings. Even the two locks - Marsh Lock and Cobblers Locks - seem essential parts of the area.
It is worth sparing a few thoughts of a different scene all those years ago where hundreds of men with horses and carts worked for months on end to cut first the canal and then 60 years later to carve out the railway cutting.
Like the Common Port Down over centuries bits of land were acquired which now make up the area as we know it today despite the area lost to accommodate the canal and the railway.
The first mention of Freeman’s Marsh was in 1550 and again in 1568 the eleventh year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Then it was reported that “there being 20 acres or thereabouts”. There was a case in the Duchy of Lancaster Court brought by the inhabitants of Hungerford against one Brian Gunter when again there was mention that it was 20 acres of grazing for geldings and nags belonging to Commoners of both Hungerford and Sanden Fee. This is the first indication that the Marsh Commoners were regarded as subservient to the Town Commoners and this has continued to this day. More about that later.
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By 1803 the Marsh had increased in size to about 45 acres - 23 acres was taken by the canal and 22 acres of feeding land and 33 poles of “water and bogge”.
The Enclosure Award in 1819 gave the Commoners of Sanden Fee the arable land of Westbrooks; this is the area south of the canal added a further 21 acres, 2 rods, 24 poles which was to be thrown into Freeman’s Marsh “for the grazing of nags”.
In 1974 there was an offer by a neighbouring owner of North Standen Estate, Lord Rootes, to the Trustees of the Town & Manor to purchase 7.25 acres of pasture land in the south west corner of the Marsh. This was a “land-locked” parcel of land owned by the Littlecote Estate for centuries and was not much use to Lord Rootes. A bargain was struck for the abandonment of the land south of the railway known as Pennyquicks and the stream in it, and extinguishment of the Commoners Rights. This the Trustees agreed to after consulting the Commoners and “Rootes Meadow” was added to the Marsh. Although it is without Commoners Rights, the grazing by all cattle is overseen by the Trustees.
Returning to Westbrooks, on 1st March 1637 Edmund Sexton, a tanner, from Hungerford assigned in consideration of £5.0.0d a half acre of arable land in the Common Fields of Hungerford called West Brooks to Jeremy Eyrton, fell monger of Hungerford which had previously, on 4th October 1622 been leased to William Atkins of Hungerford, fell monger, for two thousand years, at a rent of one penny per annum. Atkins assigned the lease to William Wayte, a tanner, who died. Sexton married Alice his widow and thus came into the posession of the lease.
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Westbrooks today is the land which stretches south of the canal and westwards from the Marsh Lane Gate on to Freeman’s Marsh.
The River Dun forms parts of the Hungerford Fishery, and the Commoners of Hungerford have the right to fish the water, but the Commoners of Sanden Fee do not have the right to fish the Kennet. This is much the same as already mentioned in respect of the grazing nags by the Town Commoners. History explains to us the reason for these less than equal rights. In mediaeval times the Sanden Fee Commoners got into financial difficulties and were bailed out by the stronger Town Commoners and therefore were obliged to give up some of their historical rights. This remains the situation today.
Freeman’s Marsh as it is today has become one of the rare and unique pieces of southern England combining chalk streams and alkaline marsh land. Over the centuries the Trustees and Commoners have made little attempt to interfere with the natural plain and water courses and there has never been any cultivation within the area. There has been management that is essential to control injurious weeds and river work to maintain the water courses, and the benefit of doubtful management and husbandry has been the legacy of unimproved Marsh and Pasture Land.
Over many years there has been some government support of the Trustees’ management inactivity, as in 1970 the land was declared an “Area of Natural Beauty”. In 1990 English Nature offered the Trustees a contract to grant annual maintenance costs under the limitations of an agreement known as a “Site of Special Scientific Interest”. This was a great help to the Trustees as some of the costs of maintenance could now be set against regular annual income.
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This new annual grant has now been over taken with the introduction by Natural England of the Higher Stewardship Scheme whereby an agreed long term management plan was put in place with a high emphasis being placed on the protection of the natural environment and its biodiversity. The Trustees signed up to this with a contract for 10 years commencing in May 2008 and in co-operation with the objectives set out by Natural England.
To launch the programme and plans to the Townsfolk a public meeting was held on 22nd January 2009, which was attended by 220 interested people. The Trustees obtained unequivocal support that day and work began at once to press on with the Environmental Plans of renovation of the land and streams together with the promotion of care and consideration to those who visit the Marsh.
The first stage of the capital work was completed in March this year and group work and guided tours continue to feature during the year for all comers. Subjects of the tours are the inhabitants of the Marsh that will cover the birds, plants, animals and river life.
Now watch this space for further information as time goes by!
Robert W. James
Trustee of the Town & Manor of Hungerford
12 June 2009
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