51°21′30″N 0°02′05″E / 51.3584°N 0.0348°E / 51.3584; 0.0348

Keston Common
Site of Special Scientific Interest
One of the lakes that form Keston Ponds
LocationGreater London
Grid referenceTQ417643
InterestBiological
Area24.1 hectares
Notification1987
Location mapMagic Map
A clearing in the woodland
Woodland in Keston Common

Keston Common is a 55 hectare area of public open space in Keston in the London Borough of Bromley. Most of it is heathland and dry acid grassland on the Blackheath Pebble Beds.[1][2] Almost all the common together with a small part of the neighbouring Hayes Common is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.[1][3]

History

The land was formerly part of the estate of Holwood House, and in the early nineteenth century three ponds were constructed to provide water to the house.[2] It is only two miles from Charles Darwin's home, Down House, and he often visited to study the plants and animals there. It helped to provide the materials for his works on earthworms and carnivorous plants. 'Darwin's Landscape Laboratory', which included Keston Common, was the British Government's 2009 nominee for a World Heritage Site, but the application was unsuccessful.[4] In 1926 the then owner of the common, Lord Stanley, donated it to the parish.[2]

Other information

The common is a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation and an Area of Archaeological Significance with earthworks which are a listed structure. Two of the ponds are now used for fishing.[2] The Friends of Keston Common work to conserve and protect it.[5][6] 21.5 hectares is registered Common Land.[7]

Access

There is access from Westerham Road, Heathfield Road and Fishponds Road.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Natural England, Keston and Hayes Common SSSI citation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 London Gardens Online, Keston Common
  3. ↑ "Map of Keston and Hayes Commons SSSI". Natural England.
  4. ↑ Darwins's Landscape Laboratory, Keston
  5. ↑ Friends of Keston Common
  6. ↑ "River Ravensbourne, Ravensbourne Valley Woodlands, Keston and Hayes Commons". Greenspace Information for Greater London. Archived from the original on 2013-07-17.
  7. ↑ Common Land in England, Keston Common
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