Epsom Common is a
Local Nature Reserve in
Epsom
Epsom is the principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. ...
in
Surrey. It is owned and managed by
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
Epsom is the principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. The ...
.
It is part of
Epsom and Ashtead Commons, a
Site of Special Scientific Interest.
This is a nationally important wildlife location because it is a breeding site for birds. Moreover, insects endemic to the area depend on the dead wood on location. Other fauna include
roe deer
The roe deer (''Capreolus capreolus''), also known as the roe, western roe deer, or European roe, is a species of deer. The male of the species is sometimes referred to as a roebuck. The roe is a small deer, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapt ...
,
heron
The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychu ...
s and
purple emperor
''Apatura iris'', the purple emperor, is a Palearctic butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
Description
Adults have dark brown wings with white bands and spots, and a small orange ring on each of the hindwings. Males have a wingspan of , and ...
butterflies. Additionally, there are flora such as
common spotted orchids and
southern marsh orchids.
[
The ]Thames Down Link
The Thames Down Link is a official walking route linking the Thames Path and the North Downs Way. It starts in the town centre of Kingston upon Thames and finishes at Box Hill & Westhumble railway station.
Name
The path is so called as it conn ...
long distance footpath from Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames (hyphenated until 1965, colloquially known as Kingston) is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, England. It is situated on the River Thames and southwest of Charing Cross. It is notable a ...
to Box Hill & Westhumble station runs through the common.
References
{{Local Nature Reserves in Surrey
Local Nature Reserves in Surrey
Parks and open spaces in Surrey
Epsom