Epsom and Ashtead Commons are a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the outskirts of

Epsom Epsom is the principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. The ...

and

Ashtead Ashtead is a large village in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England, approximately south of central London. Primarily a commuter settlement, Ashtead is on the single-carriageway A24 between Epsom and Leatherhead. The village is on ...

in Surrey.

Epsom Common Epsom Common is a Local Nature Reserve in Epsom in Surrey. It is owned and managed by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council. It is part of Epsom and Ashtead Commons, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This is a nationally important wildlife lo ...

is a local nature reserve, and

Ashtead Common Ashtead Common, nearly 495 acres (c. 200 ha), is a wooded area open to the public, to the north of the village of Ashtead in Surrey, England. It is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation, after being bought by the City due to conc ...

is a national nature reserve, The site also includes a triangular enclosure which is a

Scheduled Monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...

These commons have diverse habitats on

London Clay The London Clay Formation is a marine geological formation of Ypresian (early Eocene Epoch, c. 56–49 million years ago) age which crops out in the southeast of England. The London Clay is well known for its fossil content. The fossils from t ...

which provide habitats for rich communities of breeding birds. This is one of the most important sites in the county for invertebrates, including a threatened beetle, ''

Rhizophagus oblongicollis ''Rhizophagus'' may refer to: * ''Rhizophagus'' (fungus), a genus in the family Glomeraceae * ''Rhizophagus'' (beetle), a genus in the family Monotomidae {{Genus disambiguation ...

'' and three nationally rare species, the beetle '' Bibloporus minutus'' and the flies '' Ctenophora bimaculata'' and '' Oedalea apicalis''.

References

{{SSSIs Surrey Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Surrey