James Matthews, who is married to Pippa Middleton, has been accused of ‘putting the public at risk’ after he reportedly sealed off an entrance at his Berkshire estate

James Matthews has been slammed for a decision at his £15m home(Image: Getty)

Princess Kate’s brother-in-law James Matthews has been criticised for “putting the public at risk” with alterations at his £15m property. James, who wed Pippa Middleton in 2017, purchased the Barton Court Estate in Berkshire in 2022.

The estate features a 32-room Georgian mansion alongside 145 acres of countryside situated on the banks of the River Kennet. However, locals have voiced their anger after the hedge fund manager allegedly blocked off an entrance onto Mill Lane.

Residents say it offers a vital connection to a footpath linking the surrounding areas to the village of Kintbury and St Mary’s Church. They now maintain they are compelled to use a narrow country lane as an alternative.

They say the estate’s former owner, Sir Terence Conran, never prevented walkers or shut the gates at the end of the lane. Within weeks of acquiring the estate, they say James fitted electric gates 70 metres from the eastern entrance to the lane, stopping walkers from reaching the footpath.

They say warning notices were subsequently erected stating “No Trespassing” and “Private: No Public Access”. The Times reports that in 2024, James submitted a highway declaration notice claiming that Mill Lane was not accessible to the public.

James bought the luxurious estate in 2022(Image: Getty)

West Berkshire Council has apparently classified the lane as a public right of way following claims from local ramblers that it had been accessible for more than 20 years, a ruling currently under appeal with the Planning Inspectorate.

The Ramblers’ Association maintains the lane has been utilised “to leave and return to Kintbury village by a safe and scenic route which avoided the need to walk along Station Road which has no footpath or verge to protect pedestrians”.

Eugene Futcher, chairman of West Berkshire Ramblers, claims residents have enjoyed “unfettered access” to the lane since the 1960s. Speaking to The Times, he stated: “It is a safe way to get to and from the village, so walkers are put at risk if they have to use the road.”

James and Pippa married in 2017(Image: Getty)

He maintains residents have been traversing the lane for “decades” up to “hundreds of days a year”. While the avid rambler acknowledges it remains uncertain why James sought to close the footpath, he suspects it might be to “keep their privacy “.

He continued: “Sir Terence did nothing to discourage people from using the lane and kept the gate open. Feelings are running quite high in the village.”

Kintbury parish council listened to testimonies from villagers regarding Mill Lane. Some apparently avoided the lane during Sir Terrence’s ownership due to signage declaring it a “private road”, while others insisted they had travelled it routinely for years.

Nevertheless, the parish council voted to back the lane’s classification as a right of way.

The Barton Court estate has been contacted for a comment.