Category: About Warminster: Roly Poly Lane

Roly Poly, Warminster, 2025

Monday 2nd June 2025

Item 21 on the Agenda for a meeting of the Town Development Committee of Warminster Town Council, held at the Civic Centre, Warminster, on the evening of Monday 2nd June 2025, was: “Rights Of Way Volunteers. To note the update from the Rights of Way Volunteers.”

The Rights Of Way Volunteers presented a Warminster Rights Of Way Maintenance Analysis, which included the following information for Roly Poly:

Ser. 69
Parish number: WARM 85.
Name: Roly Poly.
Status: Footpath.
Length (m): 350.
Surface: Mixed.
Remarks: Concrete steps from the Park to the junction with WARM 47 then left along the narrow enclosed path to East Street. Consistently one of the worst paths in Warminster on this section with obstructions on the path, overgrown hedges and brambles.

The Grey Lady Who “Entered” 43 East Street, Warminster

Danny Howell penned the following note in December 2007. He wrote:

When I lived at Obelisk Court (between 1995 and 2002) one of my neighbours was John Cruse. He lived at No.30 Silver Street, the house on the corner of Silver Street and the lane that goes up to Obelisk Terrace. John was a descendant of the family who had once run a well-known coach hire and motorcycle business in the town. A well-known Warminster family, they were related to the Dawkins’ and Corden’s.

John Cruse was a sensible man and very pleasant to talk to. He once told me, in all seriousness, an anecdote concerning No.43 East Street, the house on the corner of Furlong and East Street, a couple of doors west of the Rose and Crown Inn. He told me that the front door to the house, was approached by a couple of steps that dropped down from the pavement. Nearly opposite the house, between what is now the Plants Green residential estate and the East Street Service Station (the Esso petrol garage), is Roly Poly Lane, a narrow footpath that connects East Street with the north-east corner of Warminster’s Lake Pleasure Grounds (the Town Park).

John told me he had, many years ago, seen a woman – who he called “a grey lady” – come down Roly Poly Lane, cross over East Street, and then descend the steps from the pavement to the doorway of the house, before she passed with ease through the closed door. He had witnessed her disappearing through a solid door.

He told me that several other people, on different occasions, had witnessed this female apparition do exactly the same – exit Roly Poly, cross East Street, and glide with ease through the solid wooden door of the house.

Petition From Some Plants Green Residents Seeking The Closure Of Roly Poly Lane, Warminster

Wednesday 4th November 1981

Residents of 15 bungalows at Plants Green, Warminster (mainly bungalows whose back gardens border on Roly Poly Lane) have signed a petition which they have presented to Wiltshire County Council, seeking the closure of Roly Poly Lane, Warminster.

They cite vandalism as a reason for their wanting to prevent future access to Roly Poly Lane. Garden fences are having to be repaired or renewed because of damage caused by some individuals who loiter in the lane.

Roly Poly Lane is really a path, rather than a lane, because of its narrowness. The path is a pedestrian route connecting East Street (opposite the Rose & Crown public house) with Roly Poly Steps at the lower end of which is the north-east gate to the Lake Pleasure Grounds (Town Park).

The petition is solely from a group of Plants Green residents; there have been no signatures or comments from those who live in the houses of East End Avenue on the west side of Roly Poly Lane.

The Chairman Of The Highways Department, Wiltshire Council, William McKanan-Jones, found it peculiar that no one on that side of the footpath had signed the petition. Lt. Commander Peter Whitehead, Chairman of the Southern Panel of Wiltshire County Council, said “They probably haven’t been asked.”

The Southern Panel of Wiltshire County Council is in favour of closing Roly Poly Lane. Lt. Commander Whitehead stated he was authorised to give the go-ahead for the closure procedure if no one objects. The procedure would still allow rights of objection.

Wiltshire County Council and Warminster Town Council have expressed their desire to hear the views of East End Avenue residents, whether they want the path closed or not.

Mrs. Jill Meikle, Assistant County Solicitor, said Wiltshire County Council can not make an order for the closure of the path if Wiltshire District Council or Warminster Town Council object.

Warminster Town Council has made known it has no strong argument either way concerning the accessibility of the path but stated they would be happy to go along with any decision made by the County Council.

John Wall, who lives in Warminster and is a councillor (Conservative), said he had received only one representation and that was from a person who thought it would be a pity if Roly Poly Lane was closed. Mr. Wall stated he was aware of “considerable damage” to the fences on the Plants Green side and that some of these which had been torn down by vandals had been renewed, only to be torn down again. Mr. Wall added his personal opinion that “The path does not serve a particularly useful purpose.”

A spokesman for Warminster Rights Of Way Preservation Society stated that the Society had no strong feelings either way about Roly Poly Lane but thought it would be a shame to lose it.

The Senior Administration Assistant of the Highways Department, Wiltshire County Council, Mr. John Rogers, said that the Roly Poly Lane footpath was not on the definitive map but it had been intended to add it to the map at the next review.

The County Surveyor, Mr. John Davies, was charged with the responsibility of preserving public rights-of-way. He accepted there had been serious vandalism in the vicinity but he said he could see no highway reason why Roly Poly Lane should be closed.