About The Hithe

1. The Area

Rodborough & Minchinhampton Commons

Oddly, the land on which the 34 properties that form The Hithe were built was never part of Rodborough Common. Archaeological evidence shows that there was most probably a Celtic hilltop fort nearby, and that the Romans also inhabited the area — a Roman mosaic floor is known to exist beneath one of the gardens in The Hithe! There are traces of various ditches and banks on the common which are probably medieval.

The Hithe adjoins Rodborough Common which in turn is linked to Minchinhampton Common. Together they amount to some 335 hectares (827 acres) of limestone grassland — some of the best species-rich grassland in Europe. Most of it has never been ploughed or cultivated with chemical fertilisers.

The soil is rich in calcium and poor in nutrients, a combination that favours delicate plants over more vigorous species. Thirteen types of orchid grow on Rodborough Common and it is also home to more than 30 species of butterfly.

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2. The Cattle

Grazing on the Common

A handful of graziers still have the right to put their animals on the Common. Common land is a leftover from medieval times when the Lord of the Manor owned all the land but local people — or commoners as they were known — were given rights to graze cattle. Once, up to 1,000 people would have exercised those rights, though many with only one or two animals. Even in the early 20th century, almost everyone in the area would have used horse transport, and the tradesmen — bakers, butchers and grocers — depended on animals for delivery.

The result of this grazing over hundreds of years is more than a bevy of contented cattle — its legacy is the unimproved grassland which provides such a unique habitat.

Rodborough and Minchinhampton Commons each has a graziers' committee to oversee cattle use on the Commons. They in turn employ a Haywarden who is paid to look after the cattle, which are introduced onto the Commons on 13 May and removed on 31 October.

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3. The Hithe

Origins of our estate

All the land that constitutes The Hithe was previously used for agriculture and owned by Mary and John Charlton who lived in Hellens — their home until their deaths in the 1990s. During the 1950s and 1960s they gradually sold off parcels of land for development. Mary Charlton, whose mother had owned the land before her, was fastidious about maintaining a particular look and style to each property, as well as the overall landscaping of The Hithe estate.

She employed her brother, Maurice Gorton, as an architect to advise on the design details for each house. She also had her solicitor draw up a set of covenants, applicable to each property, to help further in protecting the ambience of The Hithe.

The Charlton Estate concept of mainly large plots, with one dwelling house well-situated within the plot and in a consistent architectural style, enhances the intended park-like atmosphere — the general appearance being further improved by bordering hedges, stone walls and generous tree planting.

Until her death in the late 1990s, the communal parts of The Hithe (i.e. the internal roads, wide verges and trees thereon, footpaths, cattle grid, stiles and gates) were owned by Mary Charlton's estate. In her will of 1997, ownership of this land — often referred to in legal documents as the "dominant land" — was transferred to trustees on the understanding that a formal structure would be incorporated to own the land on behalf of residents.

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4. The Association

The Hithe Residents' Association

The Hithe Residents' Association has existed since 1971. All residents on The Hithe are automatically members and encouraged to participate in the estate's affairs.

The Association, which is unincorporated, is required to meet annually. The membership chooses a committee and committee chairman and vests responsibility in that committee to administer the Association's business.

The objective and purpose of the Association is to preserve the residential, environmental and architectural character of The Hithe, and to deal with any matters that arise on behalf of all residents.

In the vast majority of instances when Rules and Covenants have been subject to misinterpretation by residents, healthy dialogue has more often than not led to their resolution. This is the much-preferred manner so far as the elected committee is concerned, rather than resort to seeking legal redress.

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5. The Company

The Hithe Residents Limited

Ownership of the communal land by trustees proved to be impractical and in 2007, after lengthy legal consultation, the residents agreed to set up a company called The Hithe Residents Limited, registered at Companies House. It is a company limited by guarantee and has four directors, one of whom also serves as company secretary — all are residents of The Hithe.

The purpose of The Hithe Residents Limited is to hold title to all communal property, but to remain dormant, rendering only the required statutory reports to Companies House and to engage in legal obligations explicitly required of it. Financial and other transactions remain the responsibility of the Association, on the company's behalf.