Description
Cannon Hill Common was not commonland as such but part of the former extensive holdings of Merton Priory, founded in the C12th and later part of Cannon Hill Estate. In estate sale documents in 1613 it was described as 'a wood called Cannondowne Hill containing 60 acres'. The land was farmed for many centuries until Cannon Hill House was built, probably shortly after 1773. By 1880 the house was empty and the surrounding land farmed. In 1924 developer George Blay purchased the estate as well as part of the Rayne Estate and built over much of it, but in 1925 offered the present site to Merton and Morden UDC for a public park, which opened in 1927, named Cannon Hill Common. The house was demolished and its site at the edge of the lake and woodland was first designated a bird sanctuary in 1927/9, since 1998 it has been managed as a nature reserve. The ornamental lake was created in the C18th and is a remnant of the former landscaped grounds of Cannon Hill House.
Practical Information
| Site location | Cannon Hill Lane/Parkway |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW20 9DB |
| What3Words | ///plays.credit.normal |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Merton |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted. (8am - dusk weekdays/9am - dusk weekends) |
| Facilities | Fishing in Cannon Hill Common lake (licence required) |
| Events | Various events organised by Friends of Cannon Hill Common |
| Public Transport | Rail: Raynes Park, South Merton then bus. Bus: 413 |
| Research Updated | 16 March 2025 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
William Taylor, who built Cannon Hill House in c.1773, was in the military,for many years in the 32nd Regiment, later becoming a Major-General in the 14th Regiment. His house, referred to as 'an impressive stuccoed mansion with surrounding parkland adjoining Cannon Hill Farm' was further described by James Edwards in his Companion from London to Brighthelmston in 1789/1801: 'It is a white house situated on an eminence commanding a pleasant and extensive prospect to the east, over a small park or lawn. On the west are suitable gardens, shrubberies etc. and the soil is a stiff black clay.' Between 1832 and 1865 the owner of Cannon Hill House was Richard Thornton, a wealthy trader, but after his death it appears the house was not much used and in 1880 was referred to as being empty. It was probably demolished in the late C19th although early C20th maps still show buildings.
In 1924, when George Blay purchased the Cannon Hill Estate, as well as part of the Rayne Estate, his intention was to develop the land for housing. However as a result of local pressure against the loss of public open land he later offered part of the Cannon Hill House parkland to Merton and Morden UDC, who purchased 53.5 acres for £17,610, naming the new park Cannon Hill Common. Adjoining the public park an area of 5.5 acres was set aside for allotments and the Paddock Allotments (q.v.) were established in 1926, now managed by the Paddock Horticultural Society.The site of the house was designated a bird sanctuary in c1929, and remains fenced off as a nature reserve.
In 1974 angling on the ornamental lake was banned in order to protect the wildlife but was re-introduced in 2001 under the auspices and control of the Merton and Cheam Junior Angling Club. Cannon Hill Common has largely been managed for nature conservation since the mid 1970s and is on undulating ground with meadows and woodland areas; among the trees are fine mature oak, a number of which are around 200 years old. Other trees include horse chestnut, lime, ash, willow, holm oak and there is a fine cedar of Lebanon on the ridge of a hill, a remnant of parkland planting. The two meadows are managed for ecological value and allowed to grow long, the South Meadow since 1976 and the North Meadow since 1990. There are good views from the higher ground. At one time there was a pavilion below the woodland near the nature reserve but this later burnt down. Immediately to the north beyond a strip of woodland is the Joseph Hood Recreation Ground, which has a children's playground, bowling green and tennis courts.
In 1924, when George Blay purchased the Cannon Hill Estate, as well as part of the Rayne Estate, his intention was to develop the land for housing. However as a result of local pressure against the loss of public open land he later offered part of the Cannon Hill House parkland to Merton and Morden UDC, who purchased 53.5 acres for £17,610, naming the new park Cannon Hill Common. Adjoining the public park an area of 5.5 acres was set aside for allotments and the Paddock Allotments (q.v.) were established in 1926, now managed by the Paddock Horticultural Society.The site of the house was designated a bird sanctuary in c1929, and remains fenced off as a nature reserve.
In 1974 angling on the ornamental lake was banned in order to protect the wildlife but was re-introduced in 2001 under the auspices and control of the Merton and Cheam Junior Angling Club. Cannon Hill Common has largely been managed for nature conservation since the mid 1970s and is on undulating ground with meadows and woodland areas; among the trees are fine mature oak, a number of which are around 200 years old. Other trees include horse chestnut, lime, ash, willow, holm oak and there is a fine cedar of Lebanon on the ridge of a hill, a remnant of parkland planting. The two meadows are managed for ecological value and allowed to grow long, the South Meadow since 1976 and the North Meadow since 1990. There are good views from the higher ground. At one time there was a pavilion below the woodland near the nature reserve but this later burnt down. Immediately to the north beyond a strip of woodland is the Joseph Hood Recreation Ground, which has a children's playground, bowling green and tennis courts.
The Friends of Cannon Hill Common was formed in 1995, a group of local residents who work closely with Merton Council and its maintenance contractor to maintain and add to the Common's amenities. Over the years, successful bids have been made to the Norland Trust for new paths, to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a grant to renew the lake and the area around it, and to the BBC Breathing Places Fund for funding a variety of improvements to encourage community use.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ236682 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 21.45 |
| Site Ownership | LB Merton |
| Site Management | Leisure and Culture Services - maintenance contractor idverde. Friends of Cannon Hill Common |
| Dates | C18th; 1925-7 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Merton |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance I |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority Zone (part) |
| Other LA Designation | Local Nature Reserve. Public Open Space. Green Corridor |
Gallery
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
The Paddock Allotments are adjacent to Cannon Hill Common, and both park and allotments were established in c. 1926. The land was not commonland as such but part of the former extensive holdings of Merton Priory, founded in the C12th, later part of Cannon Hill Estate and was farmed for many centuries. Cannon Hill House was built, probably shortly after 1762, with parkland and gardens. In 1924, the house now being empty, the estate was purchased by developer George Blay for housing. However, following local pressure against the loss of open space, in 1925 Blay offered part of the land to Merton and Morden UDC for a public park, which opened in 1927 as Cannon Hill Common. An area of 5.5 acres was also set aside for allotments, and 107 plots were made available for an annual rent. In 1959 the Paddock Horticultural Society was founded to purchase and sell stock to tenants on the site, and in 1991 became responsible for running the site. The site now has c.170 plots and a wide range of tenants, with some plots growing organic fruit and vegetables and others resembling cottage gardens.
Cherry Wood is a 1.65 hectare remnant of old woodland that once covered a larger area but was eventually built over by residential development. In 1837 it is shown on the Tithe Map as Great Wood, and, now surrounded by 1930s suburban housing, it is dominated by pedunculate oak trees. Until 1990 it was neglected and used as a dump, but work to enhance it was then undertaken by LB Merton and Cherry Wood was established as a nature reserve in 2000.
Morden Park was formerly a deer park within the Manor of Morden's Morden Hall estate. In the C18th part of the manorial lands were leased to London merchant John Ewart who built a house here called Morden Park. The Morden Hall and Morden Park estates were later reunited when Gilliat Hatfeild who had already purchased Morden Hall, purchased Morden Park. In 1945 Morden Park was purchased by Merton and Morden UDC, the house becoming council offices and 90 acres of grounds preserved as public open space. Features include remains of a crinkle-crankle wall, two outhouses reputedly used for deer, remnants of planting and a mound believed to be a Romano-British burial mound. Recent amenities include an open-air theatre. A large part of the park was designated as a local nature reserve in 2000.