Transfer of the woodland to Forest of Cardiff, title WA735527.
The title register is held; the transfer deed and plan are not.









The freehold title chain, 1877 to 1994, retold as if it all happened on Facebook: each post is by the party that acted, and each one links to its record.
Transfer of the woodland to Forest of Cardiff, title WA735527.
The title register is held; the transfer deed and plan are not.
The register for WA735527 records a transfer with plan to Forest of Cardiff dated 10 November 1994 (land tinted blue and pink). The deed and plan have not been obtained; price, consideration and which parts are the 1955 north forest are not established.
HM Land Registry, title WA735527 (register, September 2026); Legal Wiki EV-0136 (deed pending).
… between Leckwith Hill [and] Llandough including 18 acres of special scientific interest …
South Wales Echo, 7 November 1994 (British Newspaper Archive search-result text). Legal Wiki EV-0270.
via the Heneb Historic Environment Record, GGAT02272s
“Excavation of an area of 0.22ha immediately to the north of the church of St Dochdwy was undertaken on behalf of Ideal Homes Wales following an earlier evaluation by Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust in 1990”

👍 3 Ideal Homes Wales, GGAT (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust), Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
“Should any artefacts be placed on display in any museum, then Ideal Homes Wales Ltd. should be acknowledged as the donor.”
👍 · 28 Jul 1994 · sourceGGAT to the council
“spot scheduling this rare and important site of national significance”
Planning drawing received: the site titled “Llandough Farm”; the “LLANDOUGH VILLAGE GREEN … to be maintained by LLANDOUGH COMMUNITY COUNCIL”. Ideal Homes Wales had bought the site from BP on 3 December 1993; the 20 houses of Church View Close followed.
Legal Wiki EV-0133, planning drawings, Ideal Homes Wales, 1994; name variations page.
GGAT to the council
“has not been fulfilled and cannot be discharged by your Authority”
GGAT to the council, on condition 18
“a Breach of Condition notice is issued immediately”
“has been discharged and that the approval of the detailed plans and the notice issued by your council are decisive as to that”
👎 · 4 Feb 1994 · The developer’s agent to the council, citing counsel’s opinion that condition 18 · sourceWoodland title history: BP to Ideal Homes. The deed is not held.
Chain as reported in the woodland assessment.
Sale of the merged title (house and fields) for housing. The transfer is not held.
The 1994 excavation at Great House Farm was carried out on behalf of Ideal Homes Wales, which built Church View Close.
GGAT to the council (planning file 92/00671)
“demonstrated conclusively that significant archaeological deposits exist within the proposed development area … including a quantity of human bone”
… in Llandough and Leckwith from the Land Authority for Wales …
South Wales Echo, 11 September 1990 (British Newspaper Archive search-result text). Legal Wiki EV-0270.
Reservoir Wood (Llandough), Coed Sion Hywel, Coed Cwm Cydfin, Coed Creigiaidd, Coed y Stofer, Factory Wood and West Hill Wood: the seven woods the South Wales Echo reported passing to the county council from the Land Authority for Wales; 127 acres by the report of 7 November 1994.
South Wales Echo, 11 September 1990, p.9; 7 November 1994, p.11 (snippets; articles not opened). Legal Wiki EV-0270.
… The woodland was sold to the LAW by BP Pension Fund which owned it until 1988 …
South Wales Echo, 26 June 1990 (British Newspaper Archive search-result text). Legal Wiki EV-0270.
The Williams / Buckler family announces the passing of William (Billy) Buckler, formerly of Great House Farm, Llandough.
[FARMER] Billy died suddenly this week … [when] travelling through the area he made a detour around Llandough so never had to pass the site of Great House Farm
Probate calendar 1991: “BUCKLER, William Beverley … of [Penarth] S Glam died 29 April 1990”, administration Llandaff 11 July 1991 (a probable match; EV-0274). South Wales Echo, 2 June 1990, p.2 (EV-0290).
Outline permission 89/01396/OUT, condition
“no development shall take place until a field evaluation survey and archaeological assessment report has been carried out by a qualified archaeologist to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority.”
… company chiefs are bidding [to] build homes on land where battling South Wales farmer Billy Buckler fought unsuccessfully to stop bailiffs evicting him … Great House Farm Llandough … a legal wrangle stretching back 33 years …
“No objection has been made by Llandough Community Council but they [… want?] the land registered as village green”
23 Feb 1990 · via South Wales Echo · sourceSouth Wales Echo, 23 February 1990, p.1 (British Newspaper Archive search-result text). Legal Wiki EV-0273.
South Wales Echo p.1: the community council “wanted the land registered” as a village green. The ground south-east of the farmhouse is registered as VG41.
South Wales Echo, 23 February 1990, p.1 (snippet only). Legal Wiki EV-0273; register of town or village greens (EV-0232).
… Lewis Road Llandough … acres of Prime Residential Building Land For Sale by Private Treaty …
South Wales Echo, 9 November 1989 (British Newspaper Archive search-result text). Legal Wiki EV-0270.
to the South Wales Echo
“They have taken everything from me and my family. I have lost my livelihood.”
SOUTH Wales farmer Billy Buckler, whose home was demolished last year after a 40-year-old row over ownership, now plans to live in an old bus which he is converting into a mobile home.

Now I’ve got to start from scratch again.
…nitely. I have three children and my wife is expecting a baby. My sister cannot be expected to put up with that. I shall just have to start from scratch. They have taken everything from me and my family. I have lost my livelihood.
South Wales Echo, 1989 (exact date not identified; partial copy). Legal Wiki EV-0112 · GHF-E090-N13.
Decision on application 14464/88
Application declared inadmissible: the fair-trial complaint was not substantiated; the loss of the home was lawful and justified to protect the owner’s rights; there was no “possession” in law because the courts held the property belonged to another.
Cadw records 13430 (Pound Cottage) and 13431 (the former National School and School-house) carry the designation date 6 April 1989, “Original list description of 1989”; 13432, the Church of St Dochdwy, 4 June 1989. Cadw wrote on 21 May 2026 that Great House Farm and the barn were “assessed and rejected for listing in the 1988 community survey of Llandough”.
Cadw / Cof Cymru full reports 13430, 13431, 13432 (read 20 Oct 2026); Cadw letter of 21 May 2026. Legal Wiki EV-0272.
FARMER BILLY Buckler vowed to continue his fight over the loss of his historic family home and more than 70 acres of land […]
I will fight on to the death.
“I will fight on to the death.”
24 Mar 1989 · to the South Wales Echo · sourceSouth Wales Echo, Friday 24 March 1989 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0121 · GHF-E090-N15-16.
A FARMER who lost his family home at Great House Farm, Llandough, when the premises were demolished at the end of last year today admitted two […]
South Wales Echo, Thursday 23 March 1989 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0120 · GHF-E090-N15-15.
[…] to the ground by BP Properties following a 30 year legal battle over ownership between the company and farmer Mr Billy Buckler. The lorries moved onto the site at 7.30am today and the operation is likely to take several days. Mr Buckler has been unable to […]

South Wales Echo, Monday 20 March 1989 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0119 · GHF-E090-N15-14.
AN [ACCUSATION] that South Wales farmer Billy Buckler used threatening words and behaviour at his former home last year was withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service at Barry magistrates court yesterday.
Cutting, newspaper not identified; January 1989 (hearing “yesterday”, next appearance 3 February). Legal Wiki EV-0115 · GHF-E090-N12.
EVICTED South Wales farmer Billy Buckler, whose Llandough house was demolished late last year, has had bail conditions changed on charges of assault, [damage to property] and wanton or furious driving. Buckler, aged 40 […]
South Wales Echo, Friday 6 January 1989 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0116 · GHF-E090-N15-13.
I WAS concerned to read the report headlined Bulldozed Before Breakfast (Echo, December 6). How awful for the unfortunate Buckler family …
South Wales Echo, Wednesday 21 December 1988, reader’s letter (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0111 · GHF-E090-N15-12.
… who lived at Great House Farm, Llan-dough, near Cardiff […] Mr Buckler, evicted from the farm house by BP Properties, who demolished the building a week later […]
All I’ve got left are the clothes [I] stand up in.
“All I’ve got left are the clothes [I] stand up in.”
13 Dec 1988 · to the South Wales Echo · sourceSouth Wales Echo, Tuesday 13 December 1988 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0110 · GHF-E090-N15-11.
[…] Buckler, aged 40, who lived with family at Great House Farm, Llan-dough, until [it] was demolished by BP Properties this week, was freed on bail by magistrates yesterday. He faces charges […]
South Wales Echo, Saturday 10 December 1988 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0109 · GHF-E090-N15-10.
[…] a bid to stop BP Properties profiting from the demolition earlier this week [of] an 800-year-old farmhouse on the outskirts of Cardiff. A small group of Llan-dough villagers met local councillors last night to express their anger at the way BP had demolished […]
South Wales Echo, Friday 9 December 1988 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0108 · GHF-E090-N15-09.
… a Vale of Glamorgan councillor and BP pensioner said the decision by BP Properties to flatten the buildings was ‘disgusting’. He plans to write to them in protest. Mr Billy Buckler’s family had battled for 33 years to prove they owned […]
South Wales Echo, Wednesday 7 December 1988 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0107 · GHF-E090-N15-08.
THE FINAL chapter in the 35-year battle over the ownership of Great House Farm in Llandough ended early yesterday when a team moved in to demolish the 800-year-old farm house.

Cutting, newspaper and date not printed (“early yesterday” and “on Monday” place it about 7 December 1988). Legal Wiki EV-0106 · GHF-E090-N11.
… Her husband’s family have been battling for more than 30 years to prove they owned the historic farmhouse at Llandough. That fight came to an end yesterday afternoon in the High Court in Cardiff and within hours owners BP Properties …
“A spokesperson there told the Western Mail the house was not of sufficient architectural merit and the land on which it stands was not of sufficient archaeological interest.”
6 Dec 1988 · via Western Mail · sourceSouth Wales Echo, Tuesday 6 December 1988 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0104 · GHF-E090-N15-07.
A FAMILY’S long and bitter battle for an historic farmhouse appeared to be over last night after a High Court decision went against them and the Welsh historic monuments organisation decided to take no action.
Western Mail, 6 December 1988 (cutting annotated “Western Mail 6 Dec 1988”). Legal Wiki EV-0105 · GHF-E090-N10.
via Western Mail
It would be novel for a court in this country to grant an injunction to hold up the effects of a judgment until the Court of Human Rights should rule on it, said the judge.

A Cadw spokeswoman, to the South Wales Echo
“An inspector has been taken off another case to look at this and we are trying to move as quickly as possible.”
THE threatened farmhouse at the centre of an eviction row will be visited by historic buildings inspectors this weekend to see if it is worth saving from demolition.
South Wales Echo, 3 December 1988 (cutting annotated “South Wales Echo 3 Dec. 1988”). Legal Wiki EV-0103 · GHF-E090-N08.
EVICTED farmer Bill Buckler, caught up in a 33-year wrangle over his South Wales home, was taken from his hospital bed to face charges of assault on two bailiffs.
South Wales Echo, Saturday 3 December 1988 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0101 · GHF-E090-N15-06.
WHEN the bailiffs refused to let South Wales farmer Billy Buckler back into his family home they found eight other people sharing the rambling old farmhouse.

South Wales Echo, 3 December 1988, p.2. Legal Wiki EV-0102 · GHF-E090-N09.
… Monday when a summons against BP will be heard. Mr Justice Anthony Evans has allowed the condition that Mrs Buckler should be able to go into the house and collect belongings as long as BP solicitors agree… The Buckler family have petitioned to have […]
South Wales Echo, Friday 2 December 1988 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0099 · GHF-E090-N15-05.
“The Buckler family have lived here at Great House Farm for more than four centuries.”
ITV Cymru Wales copy of HTV Wales news material, 1988 (captions read 6 October 2026). Legal Wiki EV-0083 · GHF-E113.
A bitter feud over rights that lasted 33 years.

South Wales Echo, front page and inside page, c. 30 November 1988. Legal Wiki EV-0097 · GHF-E090-N14.
… who forced their way into the 400-year-old Great House Farm at Llandough near Cardiff have already half the roof off one of the out-buildings But farmer’s wife [Branwen] who fears BP Properties Ltd will now flatten the farmhouse and won the court …
South Wales Echo, Wednesday 30 November 1988 (British Newspaper Archive search extract). Legal Wiki EV-0098 · GHF-E090-N15-04.