Description
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.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Cherry Wood Open Space |
|---|---|
| Site location | Northernhay Walk/Shaldon Drive |
| Postcode | SM4 4BB |
| What3Words | ///force.nails.curvy |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Merton |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Morden (Northern) then bus. Rail: South Merton/Morden South. Bus: 163. |
| Research Updated | 21 March 2025 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The origin of the name is not known; Anglo-Saxon derivations for 'Cherry' can signify a family name or mean a church. An isolated fragment of former woodland is in the grounds of Hillcross Middle School, used as a nature study area. The Friends of Cherry Wood was set up in 1992 and the group has been active in preserving the woodland; work has included planting native trees and shrubs, installing nesting boxes and clearing bramble.
Cherry Wood is a small, mainly oak woodland lying in suburban Morden within an area of housing developed in the 1930s with an additional small remnant of the wood now isolated within the grounds of Hillcross Middle School.The northern boundary of the main woodland area corresponds with the boundary of the old parishes of Merton and Morden, which may be medieval in origin, and which may be connected with the present day road name of Northernhay (North Hedge) Walk. Traces of a ditch exist along the northern and northwestern boundary of the wood, corresponding to the Parish boundary. Local people who were present in the 1930’s confirmed in the 1990's ditches were still well defined and ran in the winter months. The 1st edition O.S. map (1865 but based on an earlier survey) clearly shows that the wood was in its present location in 1837 when it appears to be the only significant area of woodland in the immediate area. This raises the possibility that it was preserved or planted as a covert for game birds or foxes. The larger oaks in the wood have a dbh (diameter-breast-height) of up to 100cm but with most averaging 50cm this suggests ages of between 100 to 200 years. Thus the wood has been in existence from at least the end of the C18th.
In 1910 a golf course was laid out in the area which may have severed the “foot” from this “leg of mutton” shaped site, a process finalised by the construction of Monkleigh Rd during the housing development of the 1930s. There is a small separate fragment of the woodland still in existence and used as the nature study area in the grounds of Hillcross Middle School.
In 1976 a fire occurred in the wood during the hot summer but the vegetation recovered fairly rapidly. However littering and other incidents then led to more interest with the creation of the Friends of Cherry Wood, formed in 1992, and Merton Council undertaking some additional planting and basic maintenance work.
Cherry Wood is a small, mainly oak woodland lying in suburban Morden within an area of housing developed in the 1930s with an additional small remnant of the wood now isolated within the grounds of Hillcross Middle School.The northern boundary of the main woodland area corresponds with the boundary of the old parishes of Merton and Morden, which may be medieval in origin, and which may be connected with the present day road name of Northernhay (North Hedge) Walk. Traces of a ditch exist along the northern and northwestern boundary of the wood, corresponding to the Parish boundary. Local people who were present in the 1930’s confirmed in the 1990's ditches were still well defined and ran in the winter months. The 1st edition O.S. map (1865 but based on an earlier survey) clearly shows that the wood was in its present location in 1837 when it appears to be the only significant area of woodland in the immediate area. This raises the possibility that it was preserved or planted as a covert for game birds or foxes. The larger oaks in the wood have a dbh (diameter-breast-height) of up to 100cm but with most averaging 50cm this suggests ages of between 100 to 200 years. Thus the wood has been in existence from at least the end of the C18th.
In 1910 a golf course was laid out in the area which may have severed the “foot” from this “leg of mutton” shaped site, a process finalised by the construction of Monkleigh Rd during the housing development of the 1930s. There is a small separate fragment of the woodland still in existence and used as the nature study area in the grounds of Hillcross Middle School.
In 1976 a fire occurred in the wood during the hot summer but the vegetation recovered fairly rapidly. However littering and other incidents then led to more interest with the creation of the Friends of Cherry Wood, formed in 1992, and Merton Council undertaking some additional planting and basic maintenance work.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ243680 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 1.65 |
| Site Ownership | LB Merton |
| Site Management | Leisure and Culture Services; Friends of Cherry Wood |
| 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 II |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local Nature Reserve. Public Open Space |
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
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.
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.
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.
