How do I find out if an allotment used to be on a site?

[posie]

I was wondering if someone here knows how to find out if there was a previous allotment site on a piece of land?  I travel to my allotment at the moment, but over the road from my house (literally), I'm sure there used to be allotments.  Its currently totally overgrown and I suspect on a steep slope but I'd be interest to know if there's any chance of rejuvenating it.  I've today registered with the Landshare idea that was on River Cottage, whether anything would come of it I don't know.

[ceres]

It might depend on how long ago you think it was allotments.  Have you looked at it on google earth and other map sites - some of them are not very uptodate.  You could try your local library to see if they have old maps, books on the area.  Or the Land Registry could tell you for a fee who owns it.  If it was a council allotment you could try phoning the allotments officer.  Do you have any neighbours who have been there for a long time that you could ask?

[shaun01]

if its on a steep slope and over grown and full of rubbish then yes i would say it was allotments

[posie]

I have a feeling the land may be owned by Associated British Ports, don't think it was ever council owned.  There is an old gate in amongst the railings.  No neighbours that have been here long enough to ask.  Might see if there's an historian in the town who might know.

[thifasmom]

I've today registered with the Landshare idea that was on River Cottage, whether anything would come of it I don't know.

hi i joined too

[posie]

Oh cool - glad word is getting around.  I have to confess I've not seen the actual programme yet.  My brother (who quite honestly you wouldn't put his name in the same sentence as gardening) was watching it apparently and gave me the heads up on it.  Not sure what happens once you've registered though.  Not sure why my brother was watching it either!!  You only have to mention the word spade and his back spasms rofl

[thifasmom]

if you have virgin cable you could check it out on their replay it shows on Thursday and was first mentioned on Thursday 30Th Oct programme which you might be able to see on c4 website via the computer.

I'm not exactly certain if at the moment they are stock piling a data base before it gets up and running, but i would love to see it take off and would certainly enjoy being apart of something positive and community driven.

[posie]

Going to watch it online, can't get cable where I live due to there being way too much water around us lol

It'd be a great project if they can get it up and running.

[saddad]

you can access old maps online... the ordnance survey cover the interwar period at a reasonable scale and that will show you if they were allotments between the wars, very likely as the WW1 allotments were still in use. The postcode is most useful for location but you can pan across from a known one....
 

[Kea]

Go to your local library there will be a local history section which may include old maps, aerial photos and books about the local area which may mention if there were allotments on that site.

[pigeonseed]

old-maps.co.uk might show this area, you can search with street name or post code

good luck getting it back, or even making new allotments!

[ACE]

Treat it as common land. Get some cheap fencing and fence a bit off, then go and register your plot. The owners will rapidly let you know who they are. If they don't, 12 years later it is legally yours.

[pigeonseed]

Have you found out the history yet, Posie?