Award Land

In 1799 land on the southern end of Sandford Hill, including part of the quarry, was awarded to the ecclesiastical parish so that parishioners could obtain stone to repair parish roads, that then being a duty of the parish. In 1922 there was some concern over the boundary line between the land being quarried for these stones and that of ‘Sandford & Conygar Co’, the independent quarry company. An agreement was reached and, as a result, all of the companies while working the quarry have paid the Parish the grand sum of £8 a year for use of the land – now called ‘The Award Land’.

In 1993 the company working the quarry gave notice that it was giving up the tenancy and contested the ownership of the land it had been leasing from the Parish Council.

It seems that the fact that rent had been paid for over 70 years was sufficient evidence to justify the Council’s claim to the land. The agreement that resulted, signed in 1995, determined that the Parish Council owned the land and a forge, originally used in the installation of the steam-powered stone crushers and as a maintenance shop.

Two kilns near the Award Land were in use during the Second World War, run by a team of Italian prisoners of war and quarrymen. On the other side of the hill, away from the Award Land, is Sandford Levvy, an adit driven deep into the hill in the search for minerals. This adit is where one Auxiliary Unit patrol planned its programme of sabotage in preparation for an invasion by enemy forces during the World War II.

The Council decided in 1995 that the Award Land should be used as a nature reserve. Since that time many improvements have been made. Walks have been extended and footways, constructed. Fine views of Wavering Down and Crook Peak can now be enjoyed. The site has become much of an attraction.