Puttenham Common

The remains of an extensive area of lowland heath in times gone by and part of the Hampton Estate, Surrey Wildlife Trust manages access to Puttenham Common on behalf of Surrey County Council.

In the summer months, large swathes of beautiful blooming bell heather and ling dominate the open areas of the common, with areas of oak and Scots pine. There are also several large ponds with associated wetland and carr areas, which contain a good range of aquatic plants and invertebrates including Great crested newts.

Many birds visit the reserve, including great crested grebes, green woodpecker, grey heron and heathland specialists such as nightjar. Adders can be seen basking in the sun on the southern facing slopes and a fine display of fungi species are present during early autumn.

The site is also a great reserve to see butterflies and dragonflies, which patrol the sandy paths.

Puttenham Common is of high archaeological interest. Substantial finds have been recorded from almost every period. The main feature is the Hill Fort at Hillbury which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, probably dating back to the Iron Age. The reserve was also used extensively by the military during World War 2 with evidence including slit trenches and rifle range butts.

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