Bookham Commons

Important notice -

We ask you kindly to read our noticeboards for up to date information on the different species and habitats we are protecting and where dogs need to be on leads. Many thanks for your help.

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

More about this place

See what you can get up to

Shoveler on the ponds at Bookham Commons Surrey

Relish the delights of winter at Bookham Commons 

Revel in all of the sights and sounds of winter at Bookham Commons. A great place for all the family.

Three people on a winter walk

Winter walks for all across the Surrey Hills  

Enjoy this magical season by re-invigorating your senses with a walk in some of our special places. We have something for everyone

Fungi appears miraculously at Limpsfield Common

Fabulous fungi in the Surrey Hills 

Autumn and winter are the best seasons to go hunting for fungi in our woods and grasslands. See what you can find and marvel at the array of colours and shapes.

Back to top
Bookham Commons

What's on 

Upcoming events

See all events

Evensong at Bookham Commons

Wed 13 May 2020
19:00-21:00
Walk and listen to the tuneful melodies of birds.
Back to top
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.

Back to top
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.

Back to top
Bookham Commons

Our work

Banks Common provides a rare grassland habitat

Bringing nature back from the brink 

Following a careful programme of land management over the past 12 months, Bank’s Common, part of Bookham Commons, is showing signs of renewed vitality.

English oak tree

Harvesting oak timber on Bookham Commons 

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

Back to top
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.

Back to top
Close