Puttenham & Crooksbury Commons lie to the south of the Hog's Back

Hog's Back

The Hog's Back is a part of the North Downs in Surrey, England, that lies between Farnham, Surrey in the west and Guildford in the east.-Name:Compared with the main part of the Downs to the east of it, it is a narrow elongated ridge, hence its name....

 which runs between Farnham

Farnham

Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...

 and Guildford

Guildford

Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...

 in Surrey

Surrey

Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...

, 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...

. The commons are sites of special scientific interest (SSSI)
and are managed by English Nature

English Nature

English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006...

. Both commons lie on greensand

Greensand

Greensand or Green sand is either a sand or sandstone, which has a greenish color. This term is specifically applied to shallow marine sediment, that contains noticeable quantities of rounded greenish grains. These grains are called glauconies and consist of a mixture of mixed-layer clay...

 and are covered with heathland.

Crooksbury Common

Crooksbury hill at 162 metres (531 ft), is the highest point on Crooksbury Common. Atop the hill lies a triangulation point with views over the valley towards Hindhead and Gibbet Hill. It was mentioned in a Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...

 short story, "The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist

The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist

"The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as The Return of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...

", in which Holmes is called upon to solve a singularly interesting case involving Miss Violet Smith.

The name Crooksbury is of Celtic origin. The fragments 'cruc' or 'crug' refer to burial mounds usually on a hill-top, which may pertain to fact there are earthworks on the flank of Crooksbury hill one of which is called Soldier's Ring.

Puttenham Common

Surrey Wildlife trust notes that Puttenham Common is of archaeological interest. There is a hill fort at Hillbury which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument

Scheduled Ancient Monument

In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...

, probably dating back to the Iron Age

Iron Age

The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...

. The site can be found on the highest point of the hill above Cutmill pond.

External links

• English Nature
• Map and photo of Crooksbury Common

• Puttenham Common (Surrey Wildlife Trust)
• Puttenham Common: Visitor Guide and Self-guided Trails (Surrey Wildlife Trust)