Hillsides of the common overlooking lower parts, including Frensham Little Pond
Great Pond with beach area
Dinghies for sailing on Frensham Great Pond (November 2009).

Frensham Common is a large Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) heathland of 373 hectares (922 acres) which includes two lakes; it is owned and operated by the National Trust.

Terrain, plants and animals

Frensham Common is an English SSSI heathland of 373 hectares (922 acres) which includes two large lakes; it is owned by the National Trust and managed by Waverley Borough Council. It lies almost wholly within Frensham, Surrey, a nucleated village on alluvial soil narrowly buffered to the north-west, connected by a path. The local road network surrounds the site; the nearest trunk roads are five miles (eight kilometres) away. The elevation is low but undulating with high points near the Kings Ridge - which bisects the common along a north/south axis - at approximately 90 m (300 ft) above sea level (ASL) and nearby, to the south-east, the three Devil's Jumps, the highest of which is 126 m (413 ft) ASL. The common supports few streams due to the permeability of the soil, although the ground to the south-east, called the Flashes, is boggy.[1]

The site supports several protected species, including sand lizard, smooth snake, woodlark, Dartford warbler and nightjar.[2]

The heathland is at risk of fire when conditions are dry.[3] In 2010, 35 hectares (86 acres) of the common, in very dry conditions, burned.[4] The most recent serious fire was in May 2023 when approximately 10 hectares (25 acres) burnt.[5]

The lakes are prone to blooms of Blue-Green Algae in the summer months. Once detected by the Environment Agency, the National Trust warns visitors to avoid entering the pond water.[6]

Lakes

Until the construction of reservoirs and a gravel extraction-related lake in the north of Surrey in the early 20th century, Frensham Great Pond (grid reference SU845400) was the largest lake in the county. The Great Pond and Frensham Little Pond (SU860415) were built during the Middle Ages to provide fish for the Bishop of Winchester's estate. They were developed by Bishop Henry of Blois, also known as Henry of Winchester, who established Farnham Castle to the north and who owned this and nearby manors.

Tourism

The area is popular with visitors, particularly in summer months.[7] Swimming is supported at the Great Pond within marked areas.[8] Both ponds have car parking, toilets, cafés and picnic areas. Parking at both ponds carry charges, but payment can only be made digitally.[9]

During hot weather in 2018 large numbers of visitors flocked to Frensham Common, particularly Frensham Great Pond, causing an anti-social parking problem with cars parked on rural clearways, double yellow lines and also leaving behind large amounts of rubbish.[10]

Frensham Great Pond supports a sailing club, with dinghies regularly visible on the water. A hotel adjoins the south side of the Great Lake by the yachting area. North west of the common border is the small village of Frensham, which adjoins two hamlets further across the River Wey.

Less than 5% of the Common is within spurs of the common in Churt to the south or Tilford to the north.

Four prehistoric bowl barrows are in a straight line in the centre-east of the common.[11] Villagers termed these the King's Ridge Barrows.[12]

Wartime

During the Second World War, tanks based in the Headley area used Frensham Common for training,[13] whilst Canadian soldiers used to gallop across the Common.[14] At this time, Frensham Great and Little Ponds were drained as otherwise they would have provided markers for German bombers.[15]

Filming

The common, particularly Frensham Great Pond, is a popular filming location alongside local Bourne Woods and Hankley Common.

References

  1. ↑ Cranfield University National Soil Resources Institute
  2. ↑ Farnham online Archived November 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "Did you know… that there's been a 78% increase in wildfires this year?". CPRE Surrey. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  4. ↑ BBC - Surrey heath fire brought under control, 12 July 2010
  5. ↑ "Firefighters remain at scene of wildfire". 31 May 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Frensham: Public warned of blue-green algae danger in pond". BBC News. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "Frensham Little Pond │ Surrey". National Trust. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Waverley Borough Council - Frensham Great Pond". www.waverley.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Daniel Gee (2 August 2020). "New charges (but no cash) at Frensham Great Pond". Bordon Herald. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  10. ↑ Burn, Joe (9 May 2018). "Chaos at Frensham Pond over Bank Holiday weekend". SurreyLive. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  11. ↑ Scheduled Ancient Monuments Three bowl barrows on Frensham Common Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1008880)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
    Bowl barrow on Frensham Common Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1013340)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  12. ↑ Megalithic
  13. ↑ BBC WW2 People's War Stories
  14. ↑ BBC WW2 People's War Stories
  15. ↑ BBC WW2 People's Stories
  16. ↑ Barnes, Alan (2002). Sherlock Holmes on Screen. Reynolds & Hearn Ltd. ISBN 1-903111-04-8.
  17. ↑ "Carry On Jack Filming Locations". British Film Locations. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  18. ↑ Filming locations for The Mummy from IMDb
  19. ↑ "Filming Location Matching "Frensham Ponds, Farnham, Surrey, England, UK" (Sorted by Popularity Ascending)". IMDb. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  20. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (2 April 2021). "Netflix's 'The Witcher' Season Two Wraps U.K. Shoot". Variety. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
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