| Barnes Common | Richmond |
Barnes Common was used jointly by the people of Barnes and Putney until 1589 when a dispute arose and the people of Putney denied access. Until the area was drained in c.1880 the common was mainly marshland. It was almost entirely treeless, as shown on the OS of 1870 but today is largely woodland, coppice and heathland with some open areas of grass where cricket is played. Avenues and roadside planting took place in the late C19th. In the centre of the common is Mill Hill, an island of houses at the site of a former windmill.
The information shown above was correct at the time of the last update 01/06/2009
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www.richmond.gov.uk/parks_and_open_spaces
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.
Barnes Common, June 2009. Photo S Williams
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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.
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)