The type of housing at Runnymede varies greatly.
Take a wrong turn on Twitter, and the idea of parting ways with modern technology for good becomes all the more appealing. While living off the grid is a passing thought for many, it’s actually a reality for some living just outside of London, England.
In some disused woodland 20 miles west of the city (and quite close to the place where the Magna Carta was signed) is an area known as Runnymeade, which also features an eco village that has been under the care of squatters since 2012. That is, until this past spring, when they were served an eviction notice.
No one likes to do dishes, but they DO get done.
Gatherings around the fire are common.
Source: Photoshelter
Approximately 40 Runnymeade residents are being evicted at the behest of the Runnymeade property developer and the Magna Carta celebration committee. To the Diggers (what the eco village residents call themselves), such a scenario is ironic, as they are being pushed out by a group who celebrates the very document that over time became associated with protecting individual liberties from the wills of the more powerful.
Angela. Source: Photoshelter
Said Digger Peter Phoenix, “[the area] is one of the most iconic, historic sites” in the country, and in court proceedings cited articles from the Human Right Act as his defense. Phoenix continued, “If a protest can’t be made by the Magna Carta land, where can it be made? Forty people walked out of London with the aim of creating off-grid dwellings or homes. They are all low-impact, all built from recycled materials. The removal of the defendants and others would breach human rights, it’s not lawful.”
Arun. Source: Photoshelter
Their turn for cooking duty. Source: Photoshelter
