Description
The borough boundary is on an ancient lane called Chessington Park Lane, which is on the eastern boundary of Castle Hill. Earthworks here are believed to be the remains of a medieval hunting lodge that was at the northern end of a medieval deer park owned by Merton College, Oxford, so-called after William Merton, Lord of the Manor, who had enabled poor scholars to go to Oxford University. The deer park had extended to Park Farm in the south, and Bonesgate Stream to the west. Previously oak woodland, it was cleared of trees by the C19th for fields and meadows. A small area of woodland near the earthwork was planted in the C19th and a path runs through the site to Horton Country Park. It is managed as a local nature reserve.
Practical Information
| Site location | off Filby Road, Chessington |
|---|---|
| Postcode | KT9 |
| What3Words | ///island.risen.magma |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Kingston |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Rail: Chessington North (then walk). Bus: 467 (walk) |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Castle Hill Local Nature Reserve is managed by Lower Mole Countryside Management Project with assistance from Lower Mole Countryside Trust, a charity set up to support the provision of a high quality countryside management service for the benefit of landscape, wildlife and people. Recent improvements have been made to the Castle Hill site, its access and the earthworks, funded by the Trust. Coppicing, installation of an information board and path surfacing are planned through an agreement with English Heritage. In June 2011 three welcome signs were installed at the three main access points to the site.
The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England was established in 1984 and was commonly called English Heritage. In April 2015 it split into 2 separate entities, Historic England (HE), which continues to champion and protect the historic environment, and the English Heritage Trust, whose role is to look after the 400+ historic sites and monuments owned by the state. HE manages the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) that includes over 400,000 items ranging from prehistoric monuments to office blocks, battlefields and parks, which benefit from legal protection.
The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England was established in 1984 and was commonly called English Heritage. In April 2015 it split into 2 separate entities, Historic England (HE), which continues to champion and protect the historic environment, and the English Heritage Trust, whose role is to look after the 400+ historic sites and monuments owned by the state. HE manages the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) that includes over 400,000 items ranging from prehistoric monuments to office blocks, battlefields and parks, which benefit from legal protection.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ190634 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 3.9 |
| Site Ownership | RBK or leased by Merton College to RBK |
| Site Management | Lower Mole Countryside Management Project |
| Listed Structures | SAM - Earthworks |
| 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 | Kingston |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough Importance I |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Archaeological Significance |
| Other LA Designation | Local Nature Reserve |
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
St Mary the Virgin was the medieval church of the village of Chessington, although there may have been an earlier church on the site. Parts of the current building date from the C13th, with later additions and restoration taking place in ensuring centuries. The churchyard has gravestones among grass, and is hedged to the road, with a gate and overthrow erected in memory of Gertrude Field in 1980. Trees include a number of large evergreens and two yews. In the mid C19th access to the church was via footpaths and lanes, but it is now surrounded by a C20th housing estate.
Church Fields Recreation Ground was laid out on fields adjacent to Chessington Parish Church of St Mary to serve the expanding population of the area in the C20th. At the end of WWII, VE Day Services were held in the recreation ground. It is largely open fields with scattered trees, the grass left long in parts and otherwise used for sports with a playground, playing fields and a bowling green leased to a club. Shrubs and trees are on the perimeter and there are small nature conservation areas.
Once the southern part of Surbiton Common, on the 1838 Enclosure map what is now Causeway Copse was marked as Gooseberry Hill, prior to which it had been known as Gosborough Hyll or Gosbury Hill. The woodland was owned by Merton Priory, and in 1537 was leased to William Saunders, requiring high standards of management. It remains partly wooded and is now a small park with a playground, surrounded by housing, reached through a narrow path from The Causeway by Durbin Road.