Putney Lower Common is an open parkland space in the London Borough of Wandsworth between the town centres of Putney and Barnes. It is part of Wimbledon and Putney Commons, lying 1.5 miles from the rest of the common area.
The common has an area 13.22 ha, [1] it borders with Barn Elms and Beverley Brook on the north, the residential Commondale and Horne Way areas on the west with Lower Common South road on the south, and with Barnes Common on the west side; the Lower Richmond road and Queen's ride run across the common. [2]
The land was enclosed from the 15th century, [3] in 1871 the Wimbledon and Putney Commons act entrusted the land from the Spencer family, to the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators (WPCC), who have been responsible for managing the land ever since. [4] [5]
The Oasis Academy Putney primary school lies on the east side of the common, [6] on the site of the former Putney Hospital, [7] construction of the school involved the loss of commons land so that a new access road could be laid. [8]
The Spencer pub [9] is on the south side of the Lower Richmond road, and often expands its seating area onto the common in the summer, under licence with WPCC. [10] All Saints is a Grade II* listed church on the south east corner of the common, it has a churchyard and features windows designed by William Morris. [11] Transport for London's number 22 bus, run by London General for the Go-Ahead Group, terminates at Putney Common, with buses parking between the Spencer pub and All Saints church, before maintenance at the nearby Putney bus garage on Chelverton road. [12]
Putney Lower Common Cemetery lies on the west side of the common on the Lower Richmond road, bordering with Barnes Common, [13] it features several notable graves. [14]
Funfairs visit the common on bank holidays, and the Santus circus have visited the common in late summer. [15] [16]
The common is predominantly neutral grassland, it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), [17] and within the London Borough of Wandsworth is a designated site of borough importance. [18]
The common is part of a wider habitat network that includes the WWT London Wetland Centre, Barnes Common, with the wildlife corridor of Putney Park Lane up to Putney Heath, Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park. [19]
In 2019 the People's Trust for Endangered Species found that the site is a hotspot in London for hedgehogs, [20] Greenspace Information for Greater London records show that stag beetles have been recorded on the common, as well as Hobbies, Kestrels and Kingfishers. [2]
Several invasive species have been found on the common, Oak Processionary moth was first recorded in 2011 and the WPCC try to control its numbers with regular surveys, caterpillar removal, [21] and application of the biocontrol agent Bacillus thuringiensis ; Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam have also been recorded and removed. [22]
The common has regularly won the London in Bloom gold award in the Common of the Year category, for management to improve the local environment. [23]
Putney Cricket Club have a cricket pitch on the south side of the common, between Queens ride and Lower common South. [24] There is an established walking trail that takes the common and Barnes common, with a distance of 3.4km. [25] The Putney Town Bowling Club have a bowling green and clubhouse on the west side of the common, next to the Oasis Academy. [26]
Jilly Cooper's book, The Common Years (1984), is a diary about Cooper's life living near the Common. [27] [28]
There are parking spaces on Mill Hill road by the cemetery, the Common is served by Transport for London buses 22, 265 and 284 which stop at Commondale on the Lower Richmond road, Barnes railway station (Southwestern Railway) is a 10 minute walk.
Putney is a district of southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, five miles southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
Roehampton is an area in southwest London, in the Putney SW15 postal district, and takes up a far western strip running north to south of the London Borough of Wandsworth. It contains a number of large council house estates and is home to the University of Roehampton.
Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London; it forms part of Inner London and has an estimated population of 329,677 inhabitants. Its main named areas are Battersea, Balham, Putney, Tooting and Wandsworth Town.
Wimbledon Common is a large open space in Wimbledon, southwest London. There are three named areas: Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, and Putney Lower Common, which together are managed under the name Wimbledon and Putney Commons totalling 460 hectares. Putney Lower Common is set apart from the rest of the Common by a minimum of 1 mile of the built-up western end of Putney.
Kingston Vale with Kingston Hill is a district in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in south-west London. It is a residential area between Richmond Park, the much smaller Putney Vale, Wimbledon Common, Coombe/Coombe Hill and the Norbiton part of the very old borough. The main road is the A308 which is a through route for traffic passing to and from Kingston Hill to the A3 trunk road. Many of the branch roads are cul-de-sacs. It includes, toward the east and in the Vale, the only part of Kingston which drains eastward, that is, into Beverley Brook. The hill expanse, shared with Coombe and a golf course, has a hotel, some tall blocks overlooking Kingston, the edge of Kingston Hospital, the main campus of Kingston University London and faint remnants of dense woodland.
Beverley Brook is a minor English river 14.3 km (8.9 mi) long in south-west London. It rises in Worcester Park and joins the River Thames to the north of Putney Embankment at Barn Elms.
Barnes railway station is a Grade II listed station in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in southwest London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. It is 7 miles 7 chains (11.4 km) down the line from London Waterloo. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway.
Putney Vale is a small community in south west London. It lies between Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common, to the east of Beverley Brook and Kingston Vale. Its main features are a housing estate, a superstore and a large cemetery. The A3 dual carriageway runs through it.
The inner London borough of Wandsworth contains some 670 hectares of green space in the form of parks, commons, allotments and cemeteries, which is the largest amount for an Inner London borough. Central London borders some of the borough's boundary with the Thames the closest park to which is Battersea Park.
Putney Pier is a pier on the River Thames at Putney, in the London Borough of Wandsworth.
Putney School of Art and Design (PSAD) is an art college in Putney, in the London Borough of Wandsworth.
Wandsworth Park is a Grade II listed public urban park on the banks of the River Thames in the London Borough of Wandsworth, situated between Putney and Wandsworth town centres.
Putney Old Burial Ground is a public urban park and former cemetery in the London Borough of Wandsworth near Putney town centre.
Putney Library is a Grade II listed public library in the London Borough of Wandsworth.
Putney Lower Common Cemetery is a cemetery on the edge of the London Borough of Wandsworth between Putney and Barnes town centres.
Leader's Gardens is a public urban park on the banks of the River Thames in the London Borough of Wandsworth, between Putney and Barnes town centres.
Putney Park Lane is an unmade road and public urban park in the London Borough of Wandsworth between Putney and Roehampton town centres.
Putney Pocket Park is a public pocket park in the London Borough of Wandsworth near to Putney town centre.
Putney Hospital was a public hospital in the London Borough of Wandsworth, west of Putney town centre.
Putney Leisure Centre is a public sports complex in Putney, in the London Borough of Wandsworth.