"Ancient Lights" notice at Brook Cottage

Image: © Tiger Taken: 10 Nov 2014

According to the English common law, the owner of a window through which light has been enjoyed without special consent or permission for so long that "the memory of man runs not to the contrary" has an absolute and indefeasible right to that light and may prevent it from being obscured, for instance by nearby development. The Prescription Act of 1832 effectively replaced "the memory of man" by a fixed term of twenty years. A number of such notices are to be seen on buildings in London, but this one in Cambridge is a fairly rare example in the provinces. The notice, like a copyright statement, is not essential to safeguard the right to light, but merely asserts it as a warning to anyone who might otherwise impugn or violate it. For location see Image

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