This legacy version of the site is not maintained.  An updated version of the Chobham description and history site can be found at www.chobham.info

Heathland communities lived by rough grazing cattle, sheep and ponies. Heather, turf and gorse were gathered for use as fuel in the home and in many rural industries including brickworks. These activities, and the large rabbit population before myxomatosis, prevented the return of trees. It is only recently that scots pine and birch have returned to block out the open views seen in old photographs of the Common. Though short-lived, birch is a pioneer species which raises the level of nutrients in the soil to that required by oak and other woodland types which can then colonise. It is assumed that all lowland heaths, if left unmanaged, would eventually revert to oak woods. Deciduous woodland is surprisingly still plentiful but the loss of heathland is of far greater international concern.

About 150 years ago, Chobham Common, the great Bagshot Heath and most of the other surviving local heaths formed one vast common spreading over 60% of N.W. Surrey and large parts of neighbouring counties. Travellers from London to the West Country had to pass across this area which was notorious for highwaymen. Carriages toiling along the sandy tracks would have been very conspicuous from vantage points like Staple Hill. They would try to reach coaching inns and taverns before nightfall. One such refuge was the 'Traveller's Rest' which stood beside Longcross Road.

The Common was for many years exploited for various types of raw material including turf (for fuel), sand, gravel and stone (for construction). The local "sarsen" or heath stone was frequently one of the materials used in the finest quality buildings and may be seen in the walls of Chobham Church and Windsor Castle. The stone occurred as isolated boulders in the sandy soils of the Bagshot series, including Chobham Common, but it is now usually found only as smaller sized stones or pebbles. It has been described, as Surrey's most individual stone, is very hard and is mid to dark grey in colour. The name "Stonehill" probably originates from a time when large quantities of sarsen stone were taken from there for building purposes.

There were also a number of brickworks on the Common, and the area known as Brickhill, just off the B386, is the site of a disused brickfield. Gorse and broom were used extensively in firing the kilns.

In the 1870's all further excavations ceased after the Commoners brought a High Court case against the Lord of the Manor, by that time Lord Onslow, when it was learnt that he wished to exploit the whole Common. The case was not determined by the Court but an agreement was reached between Lord Onslow and the Commoners, by which Lord Onslow gave up all rights except that of ownership and undertook not to extract any minerals on Common land or make any grants or leases. The Commoners in return disclaimed their rights to an allotment of land. As part of the agreement, Lord Onslow gave his consent to a Committee being elected annually "to watch over and protect the interests of the Commoners with power to make and enforce byelaws for the management and future protection of the Common". There was already a Committee that worked with the vestry meetings prior to this agreement, whose function was to distribute any monies accruing as a result of compensation from the railways and Army, to help the poor of the parish.

Sand was extracted in the Brickhill area by various companies; one located at Metco.

Commoners' Rights

Formerly 'common rights' were attached to properties adjoining the Common. Rights granted locally included:

Estovers - the right to take brushwood below a certain size

Turbary - to cut turf for fuel

Pasture - to graze livestock

Common in the soil - to extract sand and gravel, but not stone which was considered too valuable for use on the cottagers modest dwellings. The local 'Sarsen' sandstone never occurred in great quantities. It may be seen in the walls of Windsor Castle and many local churches, including St. Lawrence Church in Chobham.

By an Act of Parliament in 1965, all common rights had to be registered and proved once for all. Most were relinquished by default but a few have been confirmed locally. The sole right enjoyed by everyone is that of 'air and exercise'.