A small outcry over the imposition of entrance fees to Cirencester Park is an interesting moment, and it may prove more significant than it first appears. Sir Benjamin Bathurst, a wealthy slave trader, acquired the stunning estate in 1695 and it remains in the family’s hands. The park sits beside the town of Cirencester and, ever since its inception, people have been allowed through the gates for walking, playing and imbibing the scent of lime blossom from its magnificent avenue of mature trees.
The parkland, landscaped in the 18th century, has been the de facto town park: children have climbed trees there, and residents with tiny back yards have enjoyed the many scientifically proven physical and mental health benefits of exercising in a very large green back yard. There are similar arrangements at other estates, such as Blenheim, where the townsfolk of Woodstock – similarly adjacent to estate walls – can wander fairly freely into vast swathes of parkland on their doorstep.
