Common land
There are three ways to search the 'Register of Common Land and Village Greens'.
- In person – the register can be searched in person for free by appointment. To make an appointment contact the Definitive Map team about searching the common land register.
- Online – those who make regular searches may prefer to request details online from the National Land Information Service.
- Ask us – for a small fee we can do the search for you. Applications must be made in writing. Find out more about common land register searches.
To search for common land or village greens in Brighton or Hove, contact Brighton & Hove City Council.
Property searches
Before buying a property it is wise to check whether it sits on, or near, a town or village green. 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 or a village green
- any ‘rights of common’ exist on that land
The written register will reveal the name of the owner of the town or village green and tell you about who has rights of common over the land.
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. These can be viewed by contacting the Definitive Map team
Current applications
Common Land 48 Markstakes Common CL48-001
An application has been made to deregister a building as common land at Markstakes Common. If the application is granted, the Registration Authority will deregister the Application Land and remove it from the common land register unit CL48.
Representations must be made by Friday 8th November to definitive.map@eastsussex.gov.uk
Notice of CA13 application [629.2 KB] [pdf]
CA13 application for Common Land 48 - Markstakes Common [3.4 MB] [pdf]
Help with documents
Please note: we know these files might not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
If you use assistive technology such as a screen reader, please contact us, and we will do our best to help. We will contact you about the next step.
Telephone: 0345 6080 193
Email: Definitive Map team
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