Bookham Commons

Ancient commons, mentioned in the Domesday Book, with grassland plains, mighty oak woods and serene ponds

More about this place

Ranger Ian Swinney, Bookham Commons

Ian Swinney, Ranger at Bookham Commons 

Ranger Ian Swinney and his young family cowered in the house as the storm raged at Bookham Commons, using candlelight as their only source of power. Ian looks back on the night which changed the landscape and wildlife there forever.

See what you can get up to

Nightingale

Spot the early signs of spring on Bookham Commons 

Take a stroll around Bookham Commons and see how nature comes alive in spring.

Family at the Natural Play Trail at Box Hill, Surrey

Natural play on the Surrey Hills 

Get outside with the little ones on the Surrey Hills and try one of our natural play trails or make your own adventures at our wild sites.

Shoveler on the ponds at Bookham Commons Surrey

Birds on Bookham Commons 

Visit the commons at any time of the year and you'll see and hear many of our favourite woodland birds and spot a variety of waterfowl on the ponds.

Data laws are changing – don’t get left out Stay in
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Bookham Commons

What's on 

Upcoming events

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Wildflowers and Butterflies of Bookham Commons with Ian Swinney

Sun 17 Jun 2018
10:00-12:00
A look at the wildflowers and butterflies of Bookham Commons with ranger Ian Swinney, on this gentle walk. There's even a chance of seeing the elusive purple Emperor butterfly too.

Boxing day walk

Wed 26 Dec 2018
11:00-13:00
Join us on a heart warming festive walk
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Bookham Commons

Wildlife

Pond at Bookham Commons
Silver washed fritillary butterfly
Shoveler on the ponds at Bookham Commons Surrey

Habitats 

Learn how we manage the Bookham habitats to attract wildlife to our designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Butterfly spotting 

Visit us on a warm, sunny day and you’ll see many of our wonderful butterflies fluttering over the commons.

Bird spotting 

Visit the commons at any time of the year and you'll see and hear many of our favourite woodland birds and spot a variety of waterfowl on the ponds.

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Bookham Commons

History

Central plain Bookham Commons

Discover our past 

Uncover the past at Bookham Commons and learn more about its journey from wild woodland to Victorian day trips and the Second World War.

The commons are a small remnant of a wildwood

Early beginnings  

Learn about the different ways Bookham Commons has been used throughout the ages; man has been here since the Stone Age, when large, wild animals were still roaming the land, so there's plenty to tell.

two children playing at the Devil's Punch Bowl

What are commons? 

Commons today are valued for their protection of wildlife and ecology, where people are welcome visitors but the natural world takes priority. However, these sites survive in an unspoiled state thanks to a fascinating and often contentious human history of community identity, local memory and the rights of common people.

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Bookham Commons

Our work

Nightingale

Life on the edge – project to save the nightingales on Bookham Commons 

Nationally the nightingale population has fallen by 30 percent in the last 20 years and we’ve seen a fall in the nightingales visiting our commons too…

English oak tree

Harvesting oak timber 

Learn how we harvest the woodlands for oak once the trees have been thinned in the autumn and winter.

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Bookham Commons

Get involved

National Trust volunteers having a tea break

Volunteer with us 

We welcome new members to our volunteering team and none of the work we do would be possible without their help. Would you like to lend a helping hand?

Join our team of volunteers
Couple on bench between trees with lively dog

Friends of Bookham Commons 

The Friends of Bookham Commons work tirelessly to raise funds and help maintain the commons. Over the years, they've provided restful wooden benches, a boardwalk over a marsh and a bird hide on Upper Eastern Pond for you all to enjoy.

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