Duchess 'bans English public from beauty spot - but Scots can roam freely'

17 December 2023 , 21:23

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The River Tweed, at the heart of the land heartbreak (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

One Duchess has sparked fury and found herself at the heart of a land row after allegedly banning the English from a popular local beauty spot - all the time whilst Scots can roam free.

The river banks along the River Tweed were a popular place to roam for locals on both the Scottish and English side. That was until the landowner, said to be the Duchess of Richmond, decided to reportedly restrict access. But due to Scottish legislation, her alleged actions only stop the English for going down to the river.

The aristocrat lives down south, on Goodwood Estate, West Sussex and has been accused of ending the enjoyment of countless generations of English families in the village of Cornhill, who enjoyed the riverside path before she reportedly fenced it off.

Whilst English landowners have reportedly been left furious, under Right to Roam legislation in Scotland, their neighbours living just a stone's throw away on the northern bank of Tweed have free access to the beauty spot. Locals in Cornhill reportedly have been left furious at the move and feel they’re being treated unfairly.

Trevor Swan, 75, lives on the north side of the river, in Scotland, but has family ties in Cornhill. He told the Mail: "I think it's an appalling situation that they closed off the path. Without a shadow of a doubt that path has been used for years. When you compare it to the Scottish side where all the paths are open, it's really sad.

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"I used it a lot when I was younger. We used to walk from Cornhill around to the nearby plantation site. It's sad that people can't use it like I did, and my ancestors before me. There never used to be a problem when it was owned by the previous family. The local people in Cornhill are missing out. People have tried their hardest to get it open but without any success."

Retired shop worker Morag Pitman used to regularly enjoy the walk that is now shut off to him. They described it as "very disappointing" to lose the "beautiful walk" and claimed they were never given a "proper reason" it was shut.

Another English local described how one end was suddenly "barricaded" with boards and "locked gates" several years ago. After writing to the Duchess she allowed villagers to use the path once more. But it wasn't long before she was said to have rescinded the move, the local claiming that allegations of drug-use were the supposed reason behind it. But the local said there was "nobody but pensioners here".

The English locals were then forced to drive over the border to use the river and the man compared it to a "feudal system".

The Duchess of Richmond has been approached for comment.

Kieren Williams