Forests & woodlands · London
Banstead Downs
In or near Netherne-on-the-Hill.
Banstead Downs is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.
Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Banstead · 0.9 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
About
Banstead Downs is a named forest, woodland or nature reserve in the United Kingdom. Coordinates: 51.3330°, -0.2024°. This entry is part of The Great Britain Guide, a free, ad-free, open-data tourist directory.
Photo gallery
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Banstead Downs SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Banstead Downs is a 126.7-hectare (313-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Banstead in Surrey. There are Saxon burial mounds on the site and they are a Scheduled Monument. Today, with wooded areas and wide open fields, Banstead Downs are predominantly used for walks by local residents. The downs also form a pathway from Belmont Village and Brighton Road to Banstead.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Archaeological finds on Banstead Downs include Roman and Iron Age pottery and Bronze Age axes. Saxon bowl barrows have been found at the "Gally Hills" site to the west of Brighton Road. The name Gally Hills possibly indicates the former position of a gallows and a gibbet is said to have stood nearby. The northernmost barrow of the remaining Gally Hill barrows was excavated during May 1972, after extensive damage, and was thought to contain the remains of a Saxon warrior. Other secondary burials, in which were found two intact skeletons with dislocated necks, suggest that gallows victims were also buried nearby. The Downs have long formed a largely open grass chalkland attraction, physically…
Description
The Downs is one of four green areas in the area, which are overall referred to as Banstead Commons. The other areas are Burgh Heath (87 acres), Banstead Heath (760 acres) and Park Downs (74 acres). These areas were the focus of a protracted legal battle in the 19th century. Banstead Downs is home to the rare small blue butterfly.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.3330, -0.2024
- County
- Surrey
- District
- Reigate and Banstead
- Parish
- Reigate and Banstead, unparished area
- Postcode
- SM7 2JR
- Parliamentary constituency
- Reigate
- Nearest railway station
- Banstead — 0.9 km
Sources
- osm: r11123088 (ODbL)
- wikipedia: Banstead Downs (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Banstead Preparatory School
Natural landmarks · 0.7 km
Cuddington Meadows
Wildlife reserves · 0.8 km
Banstead War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 1.1 km
Priory Preparatory School
Abbeys & priories · 1.2 km
Belmont War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 1.2 km
Banstead
Museums · 1.2 km
War Memorial, Church of All Saints, Banstead
Memorials & monuments · 1.2 km
Belmont Pastures
Wildlife reserves · 1.4 km
The Pastures
Forests & woodlands · 1.5 km
Shanklin Village
Chapels · 1.7 km
Cheam War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 1.8 km
Cheam
Chapels · 1.8 km
Nearby
📷 5Natural landmarks · London
Banstead Preparatory School
Banstead Preparatory School — a school heritage in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5Memorials & monuments · London
Banstead War Memorial
Banstead War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5Abbeys & priories · London
Priory Preparatory School
Priory Preparatory School — a school heritage in england-london, United Kingdom.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · London
Belmont War Memorial
Belmont War Memorial is a memorial in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · London
Banstead
Banstead is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead in Surrey, England. It is 3 miles (5 km) south of Sutton, 7 miles (11 km) south-west of Croydon, 7 miles (11 km) north of Reigate, 8.5 miles (
Where to eat & stay near Banstead Downs
Places to stay
📷 5Campsites · London
Banstead & District Scout Campsite
Banstead & District Scout Campsite — a campsite in england london.
📷 5Hotels · London
ibis London Sutton Point
ibis London Sutton Point — a hotel in england london.
📷 7Hotels · London
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel, BW Signature Collection
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel, BW Signature Collection — a hotel in england london. 4-star. Brand: Best Western.
📷 5
📷 5
📷 5Campsites · London
1st Malden Scout Group Grounds
1st Malden Scout Group Grounds — a campsite in england london.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · London
26 And 28, High Street
26 And 28, High Street in England London, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · London
The Old Kings Head Public House
The Old Kings Head Public House in England London, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · London
The Wellington Public House
The Wellington Public House in England London, United Kingdom.
📷 5📷 5Historic pubs · London
Marquis Of Granby Public House
Marquis Of Granby Public House in England London, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · London
The Cricketers Public House
The Cricketers Public House in England London, United Kingdom.
More forests in this region
📷 5Forests & woodlands · London
Ackroyd Drive Green Link
Ackroyd Drive Green Link is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Forests & woodlands · London
Adelaide Nature Reserve
Adelaide Nature Reserve is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.
📷 5
📷 5Forests & woodlands · London
Arthur Jacob Nature Reserve
Arthur Jacob Nature Reserve is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Banstead Downs?
- Banstead Downs is in Surrey, London, United Kingdom (postcode SM7 2JR), in the parish of Reigate and Banstead, unparished area.
- What is Banstead Downs?
- Banstead Downs is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Banstead Downs?
- The nearest railway station is Banstead, about 0.9 km away. Drivers can use postcode SM7 2JR.
- Is Banstead Downs a protected site?
- Yes — Banstead Downs is part of the Banstead Downs SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Banstead Downs free to visit?
- Yes, Banstead Downs is free to enter.
- How do I get to Banstead Downs?
- The nearest railway station is Banstead, about 0.9 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode SM7 2JR.