Inventory Site Record

Once the southern part of Surbiton Common, on the 1838 Enclosure map what is now Causeway Copse was marked as Gooseberry Hill, prior to which it had been known as Gosborough Hyll or Gosbury Hill. The woodland was owned by Merton Priory, and in 1537 was leased to William Saunders, requiring high standards of management. It remains partly wooded and is now a small park with a playground, surrounded by housing, reached through a narrow path from The Causeway by Durbin Road.

Previous / Other name:

Surbiton Common; Gosbury Hill Gardens

Site location:

The Causeway, Chessington

Postcode:

KT9

What 3 Words:

worth.lately.games

Type of site:

Public Open Land

Borough:

Kingston

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

playground

Events:

Public transport:

Rail: Chessington North

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/03/2004

Last minor changes:

29/03/2026

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/environment/parks/recreation_sites

Before the Reformation this was part of lands owned by Merton Priory. In 1537 the Priory leased the 'wood and underwood called Gosborough Hyll with a hedgerow' to William Saunders for £10 for a 6 year period. The Priory required high standards of management in order to maintain a steady source of well-developed trees of different ages from the same wood, allowing Saunders to fell wood only so long as he left 'standing and growing 30 'standers' upon every acre of the wood and make a sufficient hedge about the same for the preservation and safeguard of the young coppys and sprynges thereof'.

Sources consulted:

Sue Swales, Ian Yarham, Bob Britton, 'Nature Conservation in Kingston upon Thames', Ecology Handbook 18 (London Ecology Unit) 1992

Grid ref:

TQ184646 (518510,164560)

Size in hectares:

0.5

Site ownership:

RB Kingston

Site management:

Grounds maintenance contractor: Quadron Services Ltd

Date(s):

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

None

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

No

In Conservation Area:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

Yes - Local Importance

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Area of Archaeological Significance

Other LA designation:

Local Open Space