Not usually a location for riot and revolution, the genteel Cotswold town of Cirencester may be the backdrop to a mass protest this weekend with a planned illegal invasion of the town's famous parkland.

Cherished as a green lung for the town for multiple generations, the Grade I-listed tree-lined avenues of Cirencester Park are privately owned by the Bathhurst Estate.

From peer to peasant, the 15,300 acre estate's recreational area has been free for all social walks to access for the past 329 years, but this Friday will mark a step change when new admission gates are activated.

Pedestrians and joggers will have to pay £4 to enter the park (under fives being free), with annual passes costing £30. Preferential rates are available as annual passes for those living close to the park, but a two-adults, two kids ticket for visitors to the town will set them back £10.

Given that what was once a free place to walk the dog and tire out your toddlers is now a pay-per-ramble experience, the Right to Roam campaign, marching under the aim to bring a Right to Roam Act to England "so that millions more people can have easy access to open space, and the physical, mental and spiritual health benefits that it brings" is not taking the change lying down.

On Sunday March 17th, the campaign says that hundreds of activists will be lacing up their boots and accessing the park - and they won't be paying.

A campaign page for the gathering said: "When Benjamin Bathurst bought the land in 1695, using profits directly derived from the slave trade, he opened the land to the public in perpetuity.

"Perhaps the philanthropic gesture was to assuage his guilt at the source of his wealth, perhaps it was simply a way to gain political favour. Either way, the principle was upheld by successive generations of Bathursts, with numerous fêtes, camps, dances, foraging rituals and sporting events held in the park.

"Despite its ownership, the Park has therefore always functioned as an open, community space. Community is its heritage. Meanwhile, its origins in the slave trade calls into question the moral legitimacy of exclusion."

A local resident told the Guardian newspaper of his dismay at the physical paywall: "Cecily Hill is not just an entrance to the park but a gateway to thousands of acres of English countryside which have been free to roam for centuries."

Another pointed out that upkeep of the park had been paid for by taxpayers "for centuries".

A statement from Lord Bathurst said the pass will support the restoration of the park's Broad Avenue and help fund general maintenance of pathways, woodlands, grasslands and monuments.

Lord Bathurst added: "The physical and health benefits that people and their dogs get from the restorative powers of being in the natural environment of Cirencester Park is as important today as when the park was first established. We are delighted to continue to share Cirencester Park with the local community and visitors to the area."

It is understood that the estate is in liaison with the Right to Roam and seeking to establish that "any intended trespass is conducted with the same consideration".

The park was known as Oakley Grove when it was purchased in 1695 by Sir Benjamin Bathurst. His eldest son, Allen Bathurst (who became the 1st Earl Bathurst) set to work transforming the surrounding land from 1712, much abetted by guidance from the prominent 18th-century poet Alexander Pope.

Campaign group Ramblers said the issue of local green access is crucial as we head into the next election. A spokesman said: "We're calling on the next government to introduce significant reforms that unlock the outdoors for everyone. Specifically, we want political parties to commit to taking three key steps: unleash the potential of our path network, expand the freedom to roam and create more urban green routes - all backed up by a bold strategy and binding targets to ensure everyone lives within a 15-minute walk of green space."

Punchline-Gloucester.com approached one local business, located close to the park. A spokesperson said: "You may find it difficult to find a business criticising this change, given that the extent of the estate's influence and property in the town. But at a time when we are struggling to lure visitors and keep the local economy going, a paywall for a key attraction really is not a helpful move."