Ashtead Common
Encyclopedia
Ashtead Common is a wooded area to the north of the village of Ashtead
in England
which is open to the public. It is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation at no cost to the public. There are 180.5 ha of this common in the National Nature Reserve. It forms part of a larger area of open countryside called Epsom and Ashtead Commons which is classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
.
s which are between 300 and 400 years old. These provide a habitat for many rare and endangered deadwood species. The area is of conservation interest in Britain and Europe. Also within the common are bracken, scrub grassland, semi-improved neutral grassland and various aquatic habitats.
Trials have been undertaken on how to deal with the invasion of michalmas daisies. It was concluded that grazing by goats was the most successful management option.
There is a Roman villa
on the common as well as tile works. These are scheduled ancient monuments. There are also some earthworks
.
When the railway companies wanted to build a new line to connect Chessington South railway station
with Leatherhead railway station
in the 1930s, they were denied planning permission because of the importance of the area.
Junction 9 near Leatherhead
to the outskirts of Epsom
. There are many entrances to the common for walkers, including in north Ashtead
and Epsom
.
The Thames Down Link
long distance footpath, from Kingston upon Thames
to Box Hill station, cuts across the western half of the common.
Ashtead
Ashtead is a village situated within the Metropolitan Green Belt of Surrey, England, and is just outside of the suburbia of London. It is separated from Leatherhead by the M25, and from Epsom by Ashtead Common.- History :...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which is open to the public. It is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation at no cost to the public. There are 180.5 ha of this common in the National Nature Reserve. It forms part of a larger area of open countryside called Epsom and Ashtead Commons which is classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
.
Background
Ashtead Common has been part of the Epsom and Ashtead Commons Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1955 because of its community of breeding birds. It has also been a National Nature Reserve since 1995 because of the wood of decaying ancient trees and the rare invertebrates that live in it. It contains a wooded common with over 2300 pollarded oakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s which are between 300 and 400 years old. These provide a habitat for many rare and endangered deadwood species. The area is of conservation interest in Britain and Europe. Also within the common are bracken, scrub grassland, semi-improved neutral grassland and various aquatic habitats.
Trials have been undertaken on how to deal with the invasion of michalmas daisies. It was concluded that grazing by goats was the most successful management option.
There is a Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
on the common as well as tile works. These are scheduled ancient monuments. There are also some earthworks
Earthworks (archaeology)
In archaeology, earthwork is a general term to describe artificial changes in land level. Earthworks are often known colloquially as 'lumps and bumps'. Earthworks can themselves be archaeological features or they can show features beneath the surface...
.
When the railway companies wanted to build a new line to connect Chessington South railway station
Chessington South railway station
Chessington South railway station is in Chessington in the south of the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames in South London, England, and is the terminal station of the Chessington branch. The station is served by South West Trains, and is from London Waterloo in Travelcard Zone 6.-History:The...
with Leatherhead railway station
Leatherhead railway station
Leatherhead railway station is a railway station serving the town of Leatherhead in Surrey, England. The station is managed by Southern, who provide train services along with South West Trains....
in the 1930s, they were denied planning permission because of the importance of the area.
Access
Ashtead Common, together with Epsom Common, extends from the M25M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
Junction 9 near Leatherhead
Leatherhead
Leatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...
to the outskirts of Epsom
Epsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
. There are many entrances to the common for walkers, including in north Ashtead
Ashtead
Ashtead is a village situated within the Metropolitan Green Belt of Surrey, England, and is just outside of the suburbia of London. It is separated from Leatherhead by the M25, and from Epsom by Ashtead Common.- History :...
and Epsom
Epsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
.
The Thames Down Link
Thames Down Link
The Thames Down Link is a official walking route linking the Thames Path and the North Downs Way. It starts at Kingston upon Thames and finishes at Box Hill & Westhumble railway station.-See also:*Long-distance footpaths in the UK*Thames Path...
long distance footpath, from Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
to Box Hill station, cuts across the western half of the common.
External links
- Map
- Ashtead Common pages on the City of London Corporation website