Earlier this week councillors and volunteers were at Lindow Common working to improve the facilities.
The group treated all 24 benches at the Site of Special Scientific Interest to help preserve these memorials to past residents, who have enjoyed the tranquillity of the area.
However, councillors say the work is being hindered by those who show a lack of respect for the site.
Cllr Ruth McNulty said "I was painting a bench last week when a couple walking their Highland Terrier off lead watched it cock its leg on the very bench I was treating. The husband helpfully observed that this was the dog's 'Piddling Bench' and I could smell the veracity of the statement.
"I did wonder whether this activity would add to the attraction of that particular seat as a resting place for other visitors. It did show an extraordinary lack of respect for the memory of past residents."
Cllr Rod Menlove, Chair of the Advisory Group, added "The Common is for the enjoyment of all residents of Wilmslow and to that end we have spent significant sums of Wilmslow taxpayers' money on information boards, leaflets and path resurfacing.
"Regrettably, we have also had to fund fencing to protect particularly vulnerable parts of the Common from damage caused by dogs running free. We have very recently been reassured by Natural England that the mires are all recovering and have responded to their recent enclosure.
"We ask that all visitors respect this living museum and stress that dogs on a lead or under control are very welcome."
The next event at Lindow Common is 'Heavenly Heathland' on Sunday 18th May from 10.00 – 12.30, meeting in the large car park by the Boddington Arms.
Photo: (l to r) are Cllr Ruth McNulty, John Brooks, Cllr Ellie Brooks and Alan McNulty
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
It has been turned into a site of unnatural beauty by Cheshire East Council allowing the ranger to put up fences and have the cheek to say that dogs and walkers are destroying the land.
For hundreds of years people with horses, sheep and cattle have walked across the Common. People skated on the lake, rowed across it and sailed boats and fished it.
The so called "living museum" used to have dozens of ducks and swans that lived there too. It's a known fact that swans will not dwell anywhere that is fenced. It's not a coincidence that since everything was fenced off that these beautiful creatures have deserted their home.
Now someone has decided that nature isn't good enough and has turned it into an eyesore. Thousands and thousands of pounds, our pounds have been wasted on making this once glorious treasure of the town look hostile and as unnatural as possible. Councillor McNulty is at least trying to do some good for the Comon but sounds a little pompous with her statement about dogs cocking their legs on her bench. I reckon the dog was making a statement, "leave our Common alone"!
While I'm at it, sadly you've wasted your time putting the cheapest possible water based fence treatment on a bench that people are going to sit on. It will wear off in no time and probably onto people's clothes! At least use a woodstain that's fit for purpose. Better still just leave them to nature. They'll last longer and will simply blend in.
You can't see the lake from most if them anyway because of the fences and the overgrown gorse so why bother? What is their objective? Is it to drive away all the wildlife, people and dogs? It would certainly appear so. Take down the fences and give the Common back to its rightful owners, the people of Wilmslow.
And from living on the edge of a green belt... why would you want to walk dogs around here other than extreme convenience ? Use the green belt / countryside paths whilst you still can ... claim the right !! ( otherwise the developments will start sooner than you think !! ) or the travellers will move in !!
Let me get this straight, if we don't walk in the greenbelt travellers will move onto it, if the greedy developers leave any space. Right Ho, pass me my wellies.
What is extreme convenience ? and how does it compare to convenience.
Now, the common, whether you like it or not, is an SSSI, and there is nothing I, the committee or the town council can do about it, even if we wanted to. The only way to reverse it is to get yourself a time machine and start kicking up one hell of a stink about 51 years ago. So we're stuck with it; move on...
Taking this into consideration, the committee as a whole is attempting to obey the law where an SSSI is concerned, whilst also trying to meet the needs of Wilmslow residents. This is not easy.
I am informed by our excellent ranger that Natural England, who oversee the common and take an active interest in what goes on there, could if they wanted, slap a blanket "no dogs" ban on the common, and that would be the end of that. As the majority of users are dog owners, the common would become Wilmslows' forgotten wonder.
The ranger and our committee know that a dog ban would cause a right royal row with users of the common and DO NOT want to go down this course.
At our next meeting I intend to ask the committee to tone down the language regarding dogs and their owners. Dog owners are, after all, the same Wilmslow residents we are aiming to represent. But it is up to us, the users of the common, to do our part in respecting the site. We must clear up after our dogs, we must not leave litter or be in any way destructive on the common. And, here's the hardest bit, we need to clear up after other people have made a mess.
As it stands at the moment there is no danger of us losing our access to this precious Wilmslow beauty spot. But we must never let it get to that stage either.
I was walking my dogs recently on the Common, I live opposite so am a very regular user of this "living museum".
Councillor McNulty was indeed busy staining benches. I was upset when she shouted that my dogs should be on leads, I referred her to the monument which clearly says the Common is for the use of the people of Wilmslow. I offered to walk her to it to show her in case she wasn't clear about the reasons for us all to be in possession of this land. She declined, pointing out that the Common is SSSI and then began to talk about ground nesting birds. I'd suggest she read a chap who is an expert in such matters. The chap, Charles Darwin, wrote a book of some note: On the origin of the species.
Do people really give credence to the idea that in nature ground nesting birds are untroubled by dogs, foxes, badgers etc?
A couple of months ago, on a bench lay around a dozen odd socks. I didn't know if this was an art installation or random laundry but I left them there. Why? Because the Common is for everybody's use and to use as they see fit. I do pick up litter regularly and always clear up after my dogs. But I will use it as I see fit, as is my right.
Surely the Councillor would be better placed praising people who are obviously practicing safe sex on the Common (judging by the times you can see condoms there) than concerning herself with ground nesting birds. People use the Common for all sorts of things, a child learning to ride a bike is a frequent sight as are the Twitchers who come to see the bird life. And isn't that brilliant? All of us going about our business using this most generous gift in the spirit in which it was given.
Please take the fences down and let the Common be used rather than viewed.
Unless an unleashed dog is trained to respond to the 'heel' command immediately, the risk is still present and how can all dog owners recover faeces?
Keeping dogs on extendable leads can help and conform to rule of keeping dogs on lead.
Farmers still have right to shoot unleashed dogs considered to be worrying life stock on their farmland. I realise not Lindow Common or the Carrs.
A dog loving Country-sider. not a Townie
Do you honestly think that dogs respect the bench legs, whether you are there or not?? It's one of dogs' favourite spots to wee, but doesn't for one minute mean they, or their owners, are disrespecting the people whom they were erected for!!
Not sure my dog at any rate could differentiate between a bench leg and a small tree??!
Farmers have the right to shoot dogs, really? Last time I checked the law on this they only have that right if there is a serious uncontrolled threat to livestock with no owner present. Not entirely sure this applies on the common but hey ho let's not let the facts get in the way of a good scare story.
Armchair critics, I've tried walking my dogs from my arm chair but they get bored pretty quickly and it think my old armchair would look a bit of an eyesore dumped on the common. Then again maybe not, you probably couldn't see it through all the fences.
To the the good lady councillor et al; just because you think you're worthy doesn't mean you add worth.
Also, I'd be perfectly happy if the passion for preserving via fencing was channelled into something which does greater good for the people in the community rather than some rarified creatures that nest on the ground. #evolution
Let's not forget that we pay for these Councillors from our pockets. Good use of that money?
I'm aware that there is some rare plant on the Common and we as Wilmslow residents have provided a good deal of money to fence off the part where this is growing which seems like a fair compromise to me. In that case why are dogs being asked to walk on the lead?
Maybe the Council need to be clear on exactly what they are asking.
Nobody told me that we would need binoculars. What a disappointment.
So much vegetation (lovely wild flowers) around the lake, behind the fencing, that she could hardly see the water, never mind the ducks.