Description
Coulsdon Common includes ancient woodland, chalk grassland and remnants of heath, and has a central pond. Two Corporation of London coal posts mark the 1861 boundary of the London district for the purposes of the tax levied by the City on coal and wine brought into London. The tax, instigated in 1667 to pay for rebuilding after the Great Fire, was used for other purposes by the C19th, including payment for the Coulsdon Commons. A windmill or postmill was in operation on the common from 1777 -1898; its site is marked south of Stites Hall Road.
Practical Information
| Site location | Coulsdon Road/Stites Hill Road/Hayes Lane/Caterham Drive, Coulsdon |
|---|---|
| Postcode | CR5 1SX |
| What3Words | ///likes.salt.leaps |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Croydon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Football pitch, horse rides; parking. The Fox pub is within the area of the Common |
| Events | guided walks and other events |
| Public Transport | Rail: Whyteleafe South then bus. Bus: 409, 411, 404, 466 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Coulsdon Common is within the West Wickham and Coulsdon Commons group of 6 areas managed by Corporation of London, 3 others of which are in Croydon: Farthing Downs, Kenley Common and Riddlesdown (q.q.v.). The site includes ancient woodland, chalk grassland covers less than a third of the common, remnants of heathland with heather and gorse surviving, and in the centre a pond. Woodland species include oak, birch, ash and cherry with understorey of hawthorn, holly and yew; fine bluebell display in spring. On the common are two Corporation of London coal posts that marked the 1861 boundary of the London district for the purposes of the tax levied by the City on coal and wine brought into London. The tax was instigated in 1667 to pay for the rebuilding of the City after the Great Fire. By the C19th the tax was being used for general purposes including the payment of the Coulsdon Commons. The tax lapsed in 1900.
A windmill / postmill was in operation from 1777 to 1898, but not finally removed until 1924 and the site is marked by an enclosure south of Stites Hall Road. The area adjacent is now wooded but would have been open grass and heathland when the windmill was in use. Coulsdon Common has a network of paths and horse rides. The Grove to the west has a grazing paddock, and sheep and cattle graze the common as part of the Corporation's management of the grassland. The London Loop crosses the Common.
A windmill / postmill was in operation from 1777 to 1898, but not finally removed until 1924 and the site is marked by an enclosure south of Stites Hall Road. The area adjacent is now wooded but would have been open grass and heathland when the windmill was in use. Coulsdon Common has a network of paths and horse rides. The Grove to the west has a grazing paddock, and sheep and cattle graze the common as part of the Corporation's management of the grassland. The London Loop crosses the Common.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ321570 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 51 |
| Site Ownership | City of London Corporation |
| Site Management | West Wickham and Coulsdon Commons. |
| Dates | medieval |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | Common exempted under 1965 Act |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Croydon |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough I Importance |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
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
Land including Happy Valley, Devilsden Wood and Glebelands was purchased under the Green Belt scheme in 1937 as a link between Farthing Downs and Coulsdon Common. Parson's Pightle Estate was added a little later, the whole being called Coulsdon Green Belt Lands. Between 1956-66 much of the site was leased to a local farmer for hay crops. When the lease terminated, large areas were cleared of the scrub that had grown up as a result of the hay being left as well as the decline of the rabbit population. In 1970 the name Happy Valley was adopted for the whole park.
Kenley Airfield is the best preserved RAF airfield of its period; 10 of its 12 'fighter pens' or Blast Bays remain in the Croydon section of the site. The land was part of Kenley Common, preserved in 1883 through acquisition by the Corporation of London. It was taken for the airfield in 1917 under the Defence of the Realm Act. After WWI the airfield was upgraded for the new RAF and later became an important facility during WWII. It remained an operational airfield until 1978. Although the core remains in Ministry of Defence ownership, substantial areas on the perimeter were transferred back to the Corporation and public access restored to the outer areas of the airfield.
St John the Evangelist is the old parish church of Coulsdon, a village recorded from Saxon times. The present building is essentially late C13th with a C15th tower. The church is associated with the Byron family, and various family members are buried here. They were major landowners in Coulsdon since 1782 when Thomas Byron purchased Coulsdon Manor and the sub-manor of Hooley. In 1871 Edmund Byron, who had inherited the estate in 1862, provided land to extend the graveyard. It has subsequently been enlarged a number of times, and now has a garden of remembrance but is closed for burials. An ancient yew and a great chestnut tree were once found in the churchyard. The lych-gate dates from 1910.