Edgelands · Field notes
Field notes
Writing about Britain's overlooked land. What unregistered freehold actually means, where the data comes from, and how to have a nose at a patch before you go anywhere near it.
QGIS INSPIRE polygons: the Edgelands alternative
QGIS is free and capable for INSPIRE polygons. Edgelands has the same data ready to browse. An honest comparison of which is right for your question.
ReadHedge and ditch rule: finding your true boundary
The hedge and ditch presumption: where a boundary sits when a ditch and hedge divide two properties, what rebuts it, and when to call a surveyor.
ReadStream property boundary UK: what the map shows
What a watercourse means for a UK property boundary: riparian ownership, the ad medium filum presumption, and how to read the INSPIRE polygon.
ReadRansom strips in UK property, and what to do
A ransom strip is a narrow sliver of land controlling access to a plot. How they arise in UK property, how they are valued, and what to do about one.
ReadHow to overlay INSPIRE polygons on an aerial map
Two ways to put HM Land Registry's INSPIRE polygons over aerial imagery or OS mapping: build it yourself in QGIS, or use a viewer that already has.
ReadWho owns the beach? Foreshore ownership in England
Who owns the beach in England and Wales? The Crown Estate holds around half. Here's who owns the rest, and why foreshore shows as gaps in the register.
ReadCommon land in England: what it is and who owns it
Common land in England is not public land, and it is not unowned. What it actually is, who holds rights over it, and how to find it on a map.
ReadGeneral boundaries rule: title plans aren't exact
The general boundaries rule means a UK title plan shows an indicative line, not a legal one. What actually determines where your boundary sits.
ReadPossessory title in the UK, and how to get one
Possessory title is what HM Land Registry grants when full documentary proof is missing. What it gives you, what it does not, and how to upgrade it.
ReadHow to apply for adverse possession: Form ADV1
Applying for adverse possession in the UK: Form ADV1 for registered land, first registration for unregistered, and the evidence HM Land Registry wants.
ReadBona vacantia: what happens to ownerless UK land
Bona vacantia explained: the two routes that leave UK land genuinely ownerless, what the Crown does with it, and the 30 year rule few people know about.
ReadHow to make an adverse possession claim in the UK
How to make an adverse possession claim in England and Wales: the forms, the evidence you need, the timelines, and what happens if the owner objects.
ReadHow to register adverse possession in the UK
You have the years, now you need the paperwork. How to register adverse possession in the UK on both unregistered and registered land, step by step.
ReadHow to research land in the UK before you visit
How to research land in the UK before you visit: five free tools, old maps, planning records, and how to tell a real gap from a wasted trip.
ReadIs there a free HM Land Registry map?
Yes, there is a free HM Land Registry map. What the free options show you, what still costs £7, and how to get the most out of them before you pay.
ReadHow to find a field parcel number in the UK
How to find a field parcel number in the UK: what RPA field reference numbers are, how the free Parcel Points dataset works, and where boundaries get hard.
ReadHow to find out who owns land in the UK
How to find out who owns land in the UK: the £7 title register, what to do when a parcel is unregistered, and the free maps that get you started.
ReadIs there a map of unregistered land in the UK?
Is there a map of unregistered land in the UK? Yes, a few. An honest comparison of the free and paid options, and which one is right for what you need.
ReadUnregistered land vs unowned land, explained
Unregistered land vs unowned land: who is really behind the gaps on the map, and the one category, escheat, where the land genuinely has no owner at all.
ReadAdverse possession: the UK 12-year rule explained
The UK 12 year rule for adverse possession: how a forgotten patch of unregistered land can become a title in your name, and why it usually does not.
ReadWhat are INSPIRE Index Polygons?
INSPIRE polygons are the free map of every registered freehold in England and Wales. What the data is, what it leaves out, and how to actually use it.
ReadHow to find unregistered land in the UK
How to find unregistered land in the UK: the forgotten parcels and boundary strips nobody's watching, and how adverse possession actually works.
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