The ‘original’ Common
The ‘original’ Common was
part of the ‘waste of the manor’ of Coulsdon – land that was
too poor to cultivate and which was therefore used as rough
grazing for livestock. Until the late 19th Century, the
Common was probably a mixture of heathland and grassland
maintained by livestock belonging to the Lord of the Manor and
commoners exercising their rights. These activities
kept the original Common open and not wooded.
Over time, natural succession changed this predominantly open
habitat, through scrub to woodland over much of the original
Common. The change from open heathland to woodland has
happened on many commons near London as grazing declined in the
19th century.
Rydon's Wood
This area is shown as dense woodland on the earliest OS maps
(1867). It is likely that at least part of it is ancient
woodland managed as coppice with standards from which livestock
were excluded to prevent their damaging vulnerable new
growth. The wood was split into two when its central section
was destroyed by installing an underground gas pipeline in the
1960s. We have introduced coppicing to small areas of the
wood since the mid 1990s.
Farmland at Merlewood
A third area of Coulsdon Common is old farmland, comprising
three main fields - the Maze, Merlewood Near and Merlewood
Far. These areas are relatively open and contain patches of
moderately species-rich chalk grassland so it’s likely this area
was kept open by grazing.
A small estate known as Neville House was built in
1883. You can still see the remnants of the estate today in
the outline of the grass tennis court as well as the collection of
mature exotic conifers located in Merlewood Near.
Coulsdon Common since 1939
During the War nearby
barracks expanded onto Coulsdon Common. Buildings were
erected on the Grove, round the Fox PH and on the southern
edge of the football pitch. As the war progressed more
of the Common was requisitioned until by 1945 the whole Common
was taken.
Neville House was used as a forces’ billet during the War but
was pulled down shortly after 1945. All the army buildings
were removed from the Common by 1960. You can still see brick
rubble and the outline of buildings during summer drought in the
Grove.
Grazing with sheep and cattle was restored to Coulsdon Common
during the 1990s to maintain the open and natural
aspect.