An area of land outside Southampton, known as 'the Triangle', is under threat of building development. Some might say, 'So what?' As one objection to the (successful) planning application put it: 'The site has a legend called Kitty Nocks buried on it and therefore should not be disturbed'. Naturally, this objection wasn't even taken into consideration.
The Triangle is on Kitnocks Hill, in Curdridge, and is formed by the junctions of Lockhams Road, Chapel Lane and Kitnocks Hill. The OS grid reference is SU 534 136, and the postcode is SO32 2HJ for anyone who wants to google map it. It's owned by a Mr C Collins who, in recent years has fenced off the site, preventing the customary public access to it, as well as putting up signs stating 'Trespassers Will Be Sued'. He is currently appealing against the decision to grant him planning permission, because it is conditional on him respecting the tree preservation order covering the site. There isn't as yet a local campaign against the development. One idea, at the most symbolic level, is to leave flowers for Kitty at the Triangle. There is also an application to have the land registered as a village green.
Who is Kitty Nocks? She's a local witch who, at midnight at the full moon, is reputed to ride around a pond in the grounds of Kitnocks House on a white horse. A gargoyle on the south-east corner of the nineteenth-century Curdridge church represents her (as 'Kitnox'). An apparition of an old lady seen in Lockhams Road in 1978 is believed to be her - a poor lad who had just got off the late night bus, believing she was stuck in a ditch, went to help her, but was horrified when his hand went straight through her!
