§ 39. Mr. Anthony Greenwoodasked the Minister of Works what steps he is taking to protect slypes in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire from destruction.
§ Mr. BirchI think the hon. Member has in mind lynchets or ancient field systems, not slypes; some good examples of these are about to be considered for listing under the Ancient Monuments Acts.
§ Mr. GreenwoodIs the hon. Gentleman aware that slypes and celtic fields are the same thing and that with the increase of organisation of agriculture there is a growing danger of these fields being bulldozed out of existence? Will he say whether the owners of the fields have been notified of their existence?
§ Mr. BirchI understand that a slype is a passage between a cathedral transept and a deanery. As I indicated in my answer, the question is being gone into and steps will be taken to preserve the best examples.
§ Mr. GreenwoodIs the hon. Gentleman aware that he is less well-informed than his predecessor, whom I put right in this matter?
§ Mr. Fenner BrockwayWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, when looking into the question of celtic fields, that there are a large number of Celts in the county of Buckinghamshire?