The History of Lesley’s Path.
Originally the land now occupied by Lesley’s path was once fenced and occupied by two small ponies. It’s believed that the land was and probably still is owned by East Sussex County Council.
During the late 1980s Lesley Cook, one of our founder members, became more and more concerned about the large number of people riding along the B2116 with an ever increasing amount of traffic. In 1990 Lesley suggested that MSABG should take over the paddock and open it up as a public path. A couple of clearances soon created a path and it started to be used. In May 1993 Lesley wrote in our Newsletter:
“the strip of land from Novington Lane to Odintune Lodge is officially ours to manage.”
A last-minute hitch occurred when gypsies encamped there but they were soon gone.
MSABG were pleased to announce that following support from users of Lesley’s Path (from the top of Novington Lane/adjacent to Lewes Road B2116), East Sussex County Council’s Rights of Way Team report that the bridleway was formally created on 2nd February 2018 and is officially known as ‘East Chiltington Public Bridleway 48’.
The RoW Team installed the public bridleway posts at either end of the bridleway and also re-attached the ‘Lesley Cook’ plaque to one of the posts dedicated to her memory.
See below a link for a write up by Reporter Jennifer Logan of the Mid Sussex Times newspaper 22.2.2018.
Leslie Cook, Sheila McCormick and her husband getting to grips with a broken iron fence.
