Hankley Common is a 560-hectare (1,400-acre) nature reserve and area of lowland heath and woodland located in the south-west of Elstead, Surrey, England. It is part of the Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Geography and Ecology
The site comprises lowland heath dominated by common heather (ling), cross-leaved heath, bell heather, petty whin, and gorse, along with areas of Scots pine woodland and wet heath. It supports populations of all six native British reptile species, as well as heathland birds including the nightjar, Dartford warbler, and woodlark. The site is managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust and is owned by the Ministry of Defence.
Military Use
Hankley Common is actively used for military training. During the Second World War, Canadian troops constructed a replica section of the Atlantic Wall on the common in 1943 to practise breaching techniques prior to the D-Day landings. The wall is approximately 100 metres (330 ft) long, 3 metres (10 ft) high, and 3.5 metres (11 ft) wide, divided into two sections. Nearby obstacles include dragon's teeth and reinforced concrete blocks. The site also contains a Second World War pill box.
Golf Course
Hankley Common Golf Club, established in 1897 with nine holes and expanded to eighteen in 1922, is located on the common. It is ranked among the top inland golf courses in England.
Film and Television
The common has been used as a filming location for numerous productions, including the James Bond films The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day, and Skyfall; the Marvel film Black Widow; Macbeth (2014); 1917; The King's Man; Napoleon; The Sandman; Wicked and Wicked: For Good; as well as episodes of Doctor Who and Blackadder Back and Forth.
Notable Incidents
- Bossom Air Crash (July 1932): A de Havilland Puss Moth aircraft broke up in mid-air over the common. At least two occupants fell to the ground on Hankley Common; memorial stones mark the sites.
- The Wigwam Murder (September 1942): The body of 19-year-old Joan Pearl Wolfe, who had been living in a crude branch shelter, was found on the common. The case became known as the "Wigwam Murder."
- 2022 Wildfires: During the July 2022 United Kingdom heatwave, a series of wildfires burned approximately 70 hectares of the site, described by fire services as a "major incident." Aerial firefighting was used for the first time in Surrey to combat the blaze.
