A HISTORIC Winchester charity is attempting to limit use of an increasingly popular picnic spot that inspired one of our most famous poems.

The trustees of the Hospital of St Cross, the historic almshouse on the southern edge of the city, have erected prominent notices warning people to keep to the path across the meadow by the River Itchen.

The meadow's popularity has risen in recent years partly as a result of the marketing of its links with the romantic poet John Keats who wrote Ode to Autumn after walking along the River Itchen in 1819.

Although the field is widely used especially in the summer, it is private property with no rights of way.

It has changed little since Keats' day, when in a letter the poet wrote the hospital buildings were "mixed up with the trees" and the river is still "most beautifully clear."

Rev James Bates, the Master of St Cross, explained the trustees' action: "We want to keep people safe. The water meadows are an asset to the area. We don't want people putting themselves at risk so we are encouraging them to keep to the paths.

"We have to strike the balance between the nanny society where people can't walk here or do anything and seeing people enjoy it.

He added: "We want people to visit the hospital and enjoy it but we don't want to turn the area into Alton Towers."

Rev Bates said the new notices merely repeated older signs that have become worn. His stance has public support from local people.

Ann Jones, former chairman of the St Cross Community Group, said: "I'm not against this. I think if anything the trustees have been too lenient by allowing its use. Most people think it is a public park and don't realise it is private. In the summer the grass is covered with picnickers and an incredible amount of rubbish is left."

Mrs Jones added: "There has been more use in recent years with publicity from things like the Keats Walk. Lots of people use the river bank and it is crumbling away."

The land is also let to the nearby St Cross Farm which puts cows out to pasture on the meadow.

The city council has produced a leaflet marking John Keats stay in Winchester in late summer, early autumn 1819. He wrote the famous poem on September 19.