Here at Ham Common, time seems to slow. This green space offers a tranquil escape. Ham Common is an area of common land. It sits in Ham, London. It’s more than just a park. It is a conservation area managed by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
Ham Common covers 48.69 hectares. That is about 120.3 acres. It is the second largest common in the borough. Barnes Common is only slightly larger. Ham Common presents two distinct habitats. There is grassland and woodland. The A307, Upper Ham Road separates them. This creates an area of ecological and historical interest. It is even a designated Local Nature Reserve.
To the west of Upper Ham Road sits a triangular green. It covers about 20 acres. Mature trees bound it. An avenue crosses it. This forms part of the southern approach to Ham House. A village pond rests near the western corner. Water fowl and other wildlife are attracted to the western section.
Let’s move to the eastern side of Upper Ham Road. Here lies Ham Common Woods. It extends for 1 kilometre. That is about 0.62 miles. It reaches Richmond Park to the east. Sudbrook Park in Petersham lies to the north. The B352 road, Ham Gate Avenue, crosses this area. It links the A307 to Richmond Park at Ham Gate.
The Latchmere Stream flows here. It is now mostly culverted. Its outfall is in a pond near Ham Gate in Ham Common Woods. Two cedar trees mark King George V’s coronation in 1911. Grazing stopped here in the 1930s. The eastern section transformed. Acid grassland heath became mixed oak woodland. Pioneer birch is dying back. Holly, yew and oak are taking over.
The thick under-storey contrasts sharply. It is different from Richmond Park’s open woodland. Deer graze in Richmond Park to the east. Mown grasslands mark the western section. Richmond Golf Club sits in Sudbrook Park to the north. The local authority manages this habitat. Volunteer groups help too. They keep paths clear. They remove invasive species like Snowberry. The remaining open area has sandy, acid grassland. It hosts a colony of Ashy mining bees. Other solitary bees live here too.
Did you know that parts of Church Road, Ham Common close in spring? This protects migrating toads. They need to cross safely. Froglife and Richmond Council built new ponds in 2017. These provide a habitat for the Common Toad.
Before Richmond Park’s enclosure in 1637, Ham’s common land stretched far. A map shows it reaching Beverley Plains and Beverley Brook. It bordered Roehampton. The northern part of Ham Common connected to Petersham Common. This also linked to Richmond and Mortlake commons. Charles I enclosed 1,000 acres for the park. 895 acres were within Ham’s boundaries. 400 acres were common land. The rest was private or crown-owned agricultural land.
Charles I compensated the commoners of Ham. He granted them a deed. This deed gifted the remaining unenclosed common land forever. The park’s enclosure was unpopular. It fueled unrest that led to the Civil War. About ten years later, Cromwell’s Army camped on Ham Common. This happened on 18 November 1647. They had just finished the Putney Debates.
From the mid-17th century, the Earl of Dysart and the Tollemache family owned the common land. Management shifted from manorial courts to a local vestry. Vestry records show common issues. Landowners encroached. Squatters appeared. Itinerant groups passed through. There was over-grazing. Geese caused a nuisance. Pigs rooted and blocked drains. Horses damaged the turf. Animals grazed that were owned by non-locals. Once, a flock of 200 sheep came from Kingston. Gates protected the common. They prevented animals from straying.
In the late Victorian period, development pressures increased. These pressures threatened Ham Common. The Metropolitan Commons Acts helped preserve them.
In 1891, the Dysarts put up notices. They warned against removing gravel or turf without permission. Villagers contested these actions. They claimed the Dysarts removed gravel for Ham House. They argued Ham House was in Petersham manor. Four men were arrested for sawing down the notices. William Harry Harland, a journalist, defended them. The men were acquitted.
The Metropolitan Commons Act of 1901 established a Board of Conservators. They managed Ham Common. A few years later, the Richmond, Petersham and Ham Open Spaces Act passed. It transferred the Dysarts’ interests in Ham Common. They went to Ham Urban District Council. The Dysart Trustees gave money for the common’s upkeep.
Today, Ham Common stands as a testament to history. It is a place of recreation. Its diverse habitats and historical significance create a unique space. It offers something for everyone. It invites us to reflect on the past. It also encourages us to appreciate the present.