THE RESCUE OF OPEN SPACES. 
137 
THE RESCUE OF OPEN SPACES* 
The most casual reader of either of the pamphlets noted below cannot but be 
struck by the immense usefulness of the work carried on by the Commons Preserva- 
tion Society. The first is a detailed account of its operations throughout Great 
Britain; the second is a record of persistent energy, triumphant at last, in one 
locality alone. The work of the Commons Preservation .Society may be classified 
under the following heads: (l) Threatened appropriation of open spaces under 
private Acts of Parliament. (2) Parliamentary proceedings. (3) Proceedings 
under the Commons and Enclosure Acts. (4) London open spaces. (5) Litiga- 
tion to prevent arbitrary enclosure. It would be impossible here to attempt any- 
thing like an extended comment on the victories won or reverses sustained in 
these various departments, so a choice must be made of one or two instances. 
The rescue of St. Margaret’s Parish Piece at Leicester from the attempt of the 
.Select Vestry to acquire parliamentary powers to sell it for building land, points 
to the fact that large provincial towns need open spaces in their centres nearly as 
much as London, since facilities for escape into the country in such localities are 
no greater than we in London enjoy. The chief interest in the Society’s work 
centres around the New Forest Ranges Act, in the demolition of which, after the 
Bill had become law, the Commons Preservation Society played no unimportant 
part ; but that subject has already been fully discussed in these pages. 
Another good piece of work is the now assured preservation as an open space 
of the Bethnal Green Poor’s Land in East London. Owing to the lease of the 
land falling in it was decided, if possible, to build thereon a Poor Law Infirmary 
and a F^ree Library. The area between the Thames in the south and Victoria 
Park in the north is well nigh covered with an unbroken succession of dull and 
dingy dwellings, and the Charity Commissioners, to whom the .Society referred 
the matter, wisely determined that the Bethnal Green Poor’s Land should 
remain an open space, in accordance with the original intention, as expressed in 
the deed declaring the Trusts dated 1690. Throughout England amt Scotland 
jealous guard has been kept over footpaths and commons — with varying success, 
but with little cause for discouragement. The sphere of operations does not 
appear to be extended to Ireland ; but one would surely think that in the 
neighbourhood of Dublin and Belfast — in the case of the latter especially, with its 
rapidly increasing population — the Society would find plenty to do. We may 
note that Westerham is not in Sussex as stated, but in Kent, twenty miles from 
the City. ' 
Of Mr. Hunter’s pamphlet, giving in detail the circumstances of the splendid 
struggle which lasted thirteen years, and resulted in the rescue of Banstead Downs 
and Heath, we need only remark that if the lord of the manor had endeavoured to 
empty a tray of quicksilver with his fingers he would have found it an easier task 
than his industrious attempt to buy up all the commoners’ rights in the hope of 
throwing the breezy downs of Banstead upon the metropolitan building estate 
market. London had got quite far enough when it had reached Sutton, in Surrey, 
and speculative builders may now console themselves with the unpleasant reflec- 
tion that their progress southward in this direction is opposed by a barrier several 
miles deep. 
Archibald Clarke. 
The Excursion to Selborne. — Owing to its occurrence so late in the 
month it is impossible to give any account of the excursion to Selborne in the 
present issue of Nature Notes. We hope next month to give a full report of 
the proceedings on this interesting and important occasion. 
* Commons Preserz’aiion Society^ Report of the Executive Committee 0/ Proceedings during 
the years 1888-92, London. Printed by Eyre & Spottiswoode, East Harding Street, Fetter 
Lane, E.C. 8vo. Price not stated. 
Another Chapter in the Rescue of London Commons. The Presenilation of the Downs and 
hi eaths of Banstead. By Robert Hunter, Esq., of the Commons Preservation Society. 
Printed by Eyre Si Spottiswoode, East Harding Street, London, E.C. 8vo. Price not stated. 
