The concept of a ‘Public Walk’ as a particular urban feature which emerged in the late eighteenth century has an interesting background that intersects with the histories of public health and leisure – two key concerns which still impact our thinking on rights of way today.

Read about Lucinda Carroll’s ‘Saving Our Paths’ internship at Oxford Brookes University and how evidence is uncovered to help save paths in Headington.

In my last blog-post, I explored the idea of stiles as heritage features. Here, I want to focus on stiles and access to public rights of way, particularly in relation to physical access for disabled path users.

Stiles are a common feature of paths in English and Welsh urban and rural landscapes. Their varied forms allow (some) people to move over or through boundary structures (walls, hedgerows and fences) whilst restricting the movement of livestock and other animals. This post explores the idea of stiles as heritage features.