Hi John - start with establishing what's registered or not -
Search for land and property information - GOV.UK
Only registered information is available online so if in doubt then please submit a postal search of the index map instead to confirm if the land is unregistered
If it's unregistered then our blog offers some thoughts on how to try and identify the legal owner -
Searching for the owner of unregistered land – HM Land Registry
I would also recommend seeking legal advice as appropriate with regards your own rights and responsibilities
If you are looking for wider advice online then online forums such as Garden Law can be useful resources and are much more prone to others sharing their understanding/experience with you