SITE DETAILS

Fuller information:

Barnes Common was used jointly by the people of Barnes and Putney until 1589 when a dispute arose and the people of Barnes refused to allow those of Putney to have access. Until the area was drained in c.1880 the common was mainly marshland and it provided an interesting area of research for natural history societies. The common remains in the ownership of the Church Commissioners, the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's being Lord of the Manor. In the centre of the common is an island of houses at Mill Hill, the site of a former windmill; the original miller's house still exists, now part of Mill Hill Lodge. The common was almost entirely treeless, as shown on the OS of 1870 but today it is mainly woodland, coppice and heathland with some open areas of grass where cricket is played. Avenues and roadside tree planting took place in the late C19th, including London plane, lime and horse chestnut. The Old Barnes Cemetery (q.v.) is situated within the area of Barnes Common, adjacent to the boundary with Rocks Lane Recreation Ground. This was enclosed in 1854 as additional burial ground for Barnes parish churchyard.

Sources consulted:

Ben Weinreb & Christopher Hibbert, 'The London Encyclopaedia' (Macmillan, revised ed. 1993); John Archer, David Curson, 'Nature Conservation in Richmond upon Thames, Ecology Handbook 21', (London Ecology Unit) 1993 p57/58; The Parks Agency, 'Commons, Heaths and Greens in Greater London, A short report for English Heritage' (2005)

Grid ref:	TQ225760
Size in hectares:	49.55 (with Barnes Green)
On EH National Register :	No
EH grade:
Site on EH Heritage at Risk list:
Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:	Yes: Common (CL61 with Barnes Green)
Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:	No
The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.
On Local List:
In Conservation Area:	Yes
Conservation Area name:	Barnes Common
Tree Preservation Order:	No
Nature Conservation Area:	Yes - Metropolitan Importance
Green Belt:	No
Metropolitan Open Land:	Yes
Special Policy Area:	No
Other LA designation:	Nature Conservation area includes Old Barnes Cemetery