Powhillon is a 213 acre, predominately grassland farm, in South
West Scotland. Insignificant to many it is probably the single
most important site in terms of an insight into land reform for
Scotland. This holding has been at the forefront of change for over 30 years, and from its extremely turbulent past many of the ideals and legislation relating to land reform have been forcibly fashioned and fabricated.
Powhillon is situated on the Solway coast and has an adjoining 73 acre natural pasture or merse as it is more commonly known. The merse was developed and nurtured by local agricultural practices for over 50 years and gained a Site of Special Scientific Interest designation in 1974. It was an area of outstanding natural beauty that attracted visitors from all over. That was until it caught the eye of the conservationists namely the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. They wanted to reform the area into an undisturbed feeding ground for Barnacle geese and weren't willing to compromise in achieving their goal. They were fully supported in their quest by the government and their quangos who have assisted, protected and funded their achievements under the guise of Land Reform. In the end their actions have been unlawful with 'conservation' as they describe it taking precedence over the rights of everything else.
Their 'conservation' however, has caused irreversible destruction to Powhillon and it's SSSI. They 'conserved' one non-native migratory species to the detriment of the local habitat, flora, fauna (including other birds) and other inhabitants. The locust effect of Barnacle geese means that not even they frequent Powhillon or it's SSSI any longer. The uncontrolled swarm has moved onto surrounding lands and continues to grow and devastate. Following their destructive course are the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust who relentlessly pursue and protect this 'vermin' using laws that they govern, media spin, lies and vast amounts of public money. They have one aim which is to sustain the growth of the population of Barnacle geese and in doing so swallow up more and more land, or to put it in their terms they are expanding the Caerlaverock Nature Reserve. It is a task which became rudimentary with the powers and laws they attained in order to quash the dispute at Powhillon.
R Hill & Co
R Hill & Co were tenant farmers who's family had lived and worked on Powhillon's lands from 1916 up until the day they were evicted in 1999. For 59 years they had happily tenanted Powhillon until it was sold by the Earl of Mansfield to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. Since that fateful day their lives have been in turmoil and after 25 years of fighting they were eventually ruined. R Hill & Co have fought back though and diversified and are developing this website which seeks to educate and detail Powhillon's story. It's a story of corruption, criminality, perversion and abuse and one which has cost the general public considerably.
Goose Damage The following table lists reports compiled by Scottish Office, Department
of Agriculture and Fisheries Officials. The reports document the effect
Barnacle geese were having on Powhillon and its adjoining Site of Special
Scientific Interest and were written at the request of Ministers so that
they could determine whether or not a licence to shoot the birds / more...
Cattle Stolen On 21 March 1997, R Hill & Co’s cattle were stolen by Procurator Fiscal David Howdle. They were stolen because he knowingly removed and sold the herd without a warrant. David Howdle petitioned Dumfries Sheriff Court on Tuesday, 18 March 1997 to grant warrant permitting the entire herd of cattle from Powhillon farm to be removed and sold / more...
Volac's Volostrum The above statement has been accepted in Scottish law to be true and has been used to prosecute a farmer. It was made by Procurator Fiscal David Howdle during the trial against Daniel Quinn on 17 November 1997. It is however an intentional lie and one the Crown Office are more than willing to perpetuate as shown in Deputy Crown Agent, Bill Gilchrist’s / more...
Shooting Trial In 1993, Daniel Quinn of Powhillon farm won a landmark case for all occupiers of agricultural holdings. On 17 December 1993, he was acquitted of four charges related to shooting protected wild geese without licence, even though he had intentionally done so. Three of the charges were for contravening the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 / more...
Licence Applications Since the removal of wildfowlers from Powhillon's foreshore, the Svalbard population of Barnacle geese has sheltered and fed on Powhillon and its adjoining Site of Special Scientific Interest. They would migrate to the area in September and stay until April the following year. Within that period;- October, November, February and March saw the greatest / more...
Police Authority As a result of the theft of R Hill & Co cattle and the subsequent illegal eviction of R Hill & Co from Powhillon farm, complaints and allegations were made to Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary against: Procurator Fiscals, - David Howdle and Bob Morrison, Ministry vets - Kathryn Kerr and Dr Michael Lamont and also Dumfries and / more...
