Chessington, The Forest and Epsom Common

Once in Surrey and now within the Greater London boundary, Chessington is an ideal starting point for a variety of delightful country walks, well served by excellent bridleways and footpaths.

The successful 18th century novelist, Frances Burney, often visited Chessington Hall, close to the church on Garrison Lane. Her father, Dr Burney, wrote an epitaph to her host, Samuel Crisp, which is sited on the north wall of the church.

Chessington Zoological Gardens, part of Chessington World of Adventure Resort, are a short distance from the town centre and were established in 1931 in the grounds of a 17th century house, Burnt Stub Manor. It is interesting to discover how the manor received such a name. The original manor was built in 1348 and became a school for archery. On her first visit to the manor, Queen Elizabeth I gave permission for archery to be practiced on Sundays. During the Civil War it was a Royalist stronghold. Cromwell's troops captured the house and raised it to the ground, reducing it to a burnt stub - rebuilt in 1660 in the reign of Charles II, the lovely house visible today, was aptly renaned.

Chessington Zoo was one of the first to allow animals, birds and reptiles as much freedom as was consistent with the safety of its visitors.

A variety of rides, a circus, and a zoo provide entertainment and interest for all the family. The animals include many endangered species, among them gorillas, snow leopards and ruffed lemurs. Children have their own zoo where they can handle the animals.

Throughout this walk, the paths and lanes are shaded by magnificent oak trees. Here part of the ancient oak forest remains a solid wall of green, confronting the farmlands. Many of the older oaks have been pollarded - the tops have been removed for a variety of uses, resulting in the growth of many almost horizontal branches.

Leaving the forest, the walk now follows a bridleway that is crossed by the line of a Roman road, and shortly reaches the Stew Pond. In spite of its uninviting name (stew is an old word for a fish pond), this is the delightful small lake surrounded by woods. Wild ducks and moorhens can be seen on the water.

Horton Country Park is a wooded recreation and amenities area occupying the east of a narrow upland watershed between two tributaries of the Hogsmill River. Much of the park is left to nature. No artificial fertilisers are used, and the fields are rich with a variety of grasses and flowering herbs. Tortoiseshell Butterflies are attracted by the thistles left to grow on the edge of the fields.