On the initiative of a number of people concerned about the increased use of the motor car on the footpaths in the countryside around Oxford, a meeting was held on 26th January 1926 ‘to form a Society for the preservation of Footpaths, Bridlepaths and Commons in the neighbourhood of Oxford’.
The Society duly came into being and, over the years, has worked constantly to protect and improve the public rights of way throughout the county of Oxfordshire.
Over the years the name has changed but the intent has remained the same.
The original name was the
“Oxford and District Footpaths, Bridlepaths and Commons Preservation Society“
Some time later it became the
“Oxford and District Footprints, Bridlepaths and Commons Preservation Society”
More recently the name was shortened to the
“Oxford Fieldpaths Society”
Today, nearly 100 years after formation, the Society faces problems similar to those in 1926 but in many ways much more acute. This is the result of construction of new roads, industrial and housing developments and intensive farming.
Book of Walks
Website
The first time that the Society created a website was in 2002 and in 2003 the website showed the logo with a stile for the first time. Historical versions of the website are available from the Wayback Machine – an internet initiative to maintain an electronic archive – such as the version of the OFS website from June 2003.