Cannon Hill Common ⁷⁶⁹⁶

Brief Description

Features of Cannon Hill Common include a lake and mature woodland. Part of the site is managed as a nature reserve.

History

Cannon Hill Common was not commonland as such but part of the former extensive holdings of Merton Priory, founded in the 12th century and later part of Cannon Hill Estate. The land was farmed for many centuries until Cannon Hill House was built, probably shortly after 1762. By 1880 the house was empty and the surrounding land farmed. In 1924 developer George Blay purchased the estate as well as part of the Rayne Estate and built over much of it, but in 1925 offered the present site to Merton and Morden UDC for a public park, which opened in 1927, named Cannon Hill Common. The house was demolished and its site at the edge of the lake and woodland was first designated a bird sanctuary in 1927, since 1998 it has been managed as a nature reserve. The ornamental lake was created in the 18th century and is a remnant of the former landscaped grounds of Cannon Hill House.

Visitor Facilities