About the reserve

In 1931, Norbury Park was auctioned and Surrey County Council bought the site to prevent it being developed. This was the first intervention of its kind to protect the countryside in England and the Trust continues to manage the site for nature conservation on their behalf.

The woodland areas are awash with bluebells and other wildflowers in spring, providing habitat for dormice, roe deer, badgers and foxes and all three British woodpeckers.

Veteran trees provide roosts for a variety of bat species, such as pipistrelle, noctule and common long-eared and  the yew trees in Druid’s Grove may be up to 3,000 years old.

The 33ha of chalk grassland, which is managed by the Trust, can sustain up to 40 species of flowering plants in one square metre, including rare bee and fly orchids. These in turn attract a wide variety of butterflies and other insects.

Three farms within the park encourage nesting skylarks and maintain hedgerows to support birds, mammals and invertebrates.

The River Mole runs through the site and is home to kingfishers.

More site information from SCC