Ham Common

Ham Common, located in the beautiful Ham area of London, consists of 48.69 hectares (120.3 acres) of common land. Managed by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, it is the second-largest area of common land in the area, just slightly smaller than Barnes Common's 50.7 hectares (125.3 acres). This conservation area comprises two distinct habitats – grassland and woodland, separated by Upper Ham Road (A307). It is of significant ecological, historical and recreational interest and has been d

It is a beautiful green space surrounded by mature trees and crossed by an avenue that is part of the southern approach to the magnificent Ham House. In the western part, visitors will find a picturesque village pond that attracts a variety of water fowl and other wildlife.

The history of Ham Common dates back to Charles I's reign. In 1637, prior to the enclosure of Richmond Park, Charles commissioned Nicholas Lane to draw up a map of the area. At that time, the common land of Ham extended from eastwards as far as Beverley Plains, Beverley Brook, and the Roehampton boundary. The northern section of Ham Common was then continuous with Petersham Common, which further led to Richmond and Mortlake commons. In total, 895 acres (362 ha) of the total 1,000 acres (400 ha) enclosed by the park fell within Ham's boundaries, of which 400 acres (160 ha) was common land. While the rest of the parcel was agricultural land, it was previously in private ownership or already in the hands of the crown. To compensate the