Common land in East Sussex
Common land is not land which is commonly owned. The term ‘common’ refers to the ‘rights of common’ that local people (known as ‘commoners’) were granted in the middle ages.
Rights of common vary depending on the land, but may include grazing animals and collecting firewood.
The Registers of Common Land and Town and Village Greens in East Sussex are held at County Hall in Lewes. The Registers are formed of a written record that describes each piece of land, and a set of maps map with all registered common land and village greens marked on them.
Property search
Before buying a property it is wise to check whether it sits on or near common land. This may be included in your survey, but you can also check the registers yourself.
Using the registers you can check whether:
- the property is on land registered as common land
- any ‘rights of common’ exist on that land
The Register can be viewed in person for free by appointment at County Hall in Lewes. To make an appointment contact the Definitive Map team.
Alternatively we can carry out a property search for a small fee.
