Merrow Downs

About

Merrow Downs, in Surrey, England is an area of common land at the edge of the former village of Merrow, now a suburb of Guildford. It forms part of Surrey Hills AONB right on the edge of the ridge of hills that forms the North Downs.

It is owned by Guildford Borough Council, who lease part of the common to Guildford golf club, with the public retaining the right to roam. Most of the common covered by the golf course is chalk downland while other areas are covered by broad leaved woodland. This is predominantly hazel coppice under oak in the older parts of the common, a woodland rich in biodiversity complemented by stands of old yew trees. In the last 100 years the common ceased to be used for grazing and the cutting of hazel, and other tree species such as blackthorn, holly and ash now dominate the landscape, covering areas that were once open grassland.