Public rights of way in St Nicholas Churchyard


Above is a detail from the map of Public Rights of Way in the London Borough of Sutton.  https://www.sutton.gov.uk/w/public-rights-of-way-map

The churchyard of St Nicholas is crisscrossed with footpaths that are all Public Rights of Way.

A Public Right of Way (PROW) is a right by which anyone can pass along linear routes over land on any day of the year and at any time. Although the land may be owned by a private individual, in this case, the Rector as part of their "parson's freehold", members of the public have a legal right across that land along a specific route.

Public rights of way are all highways in law, but the term 'public rights of way' is generally used to cover more minor highways.

There are four types of PROW (Footpath, Bridleway, Restricted Byway, and Byway). The PROWs that cross the Churchyard are footpaths.


A footpath is a highway over which the public has a right of way on foot only.

How you use a right of way is important. You may only make a bona fide journey with reasonable rest along the way. On rights of way you can:
  • take a pram, pushchair, or wheelchair
  • take a dog, preferably on a lead or under close control
  • take a short alternative route around an illegal obstruction
  • remove an illegal obstacle sufficiently to get past it.
There are some important don'ts for users of public rights of way like the ones that pass through the churchyard of St Nicholas.
  • You are not allowed to disturb or harm any wildlife found on a public right of way.
  • You should not drop or leave litter on a public right of way.
  • You should not trespass on neighbouring lands to public rights of way. 
References