Horton Country Park is a rural landscape that includes woods, orchards, fields, hedgerows, streams, ponds and several miles of paths to help visitors explore the natural landscape.
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has announced a further investment in the Country Park that will include improvements to drainage, roads and lighting and a third phase of path restoration.
Councillor Alex Coley, Chair of the Community & Wellbeing Committee, said “To ensure that the green space can be fully enjoyed by local residents and visitors, the council is undertaking further investment in the country park infrastructure; work will commence this year on resurfacing work on the car parks and security lighting will be installed around the main car park.
“The public conveniences have been re-plumbed and new toilet units have been installed to better able resist vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
“I’m particularly pleased with the work we have undertaken, and continue to undertake, on the footpaths, allowing better access for all, whilst at the same time protecting fragile habitats”.
The Country Park is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI) and designated as a Local Nature Reserve.
In 1973, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council purchased two of the farms that were part of the Epsom Hospital cluster. This land was named Horton Country Park after the former Horton Manor Estate. Over the last 50 years, the council has increased the biodiversity of the Country Park, with additional tree planting and specific initiatives to support native bats, birds and invertebrates. It has also undertaken considerable work to protect and enhance the ancient woodland within the public space.
Ancient woodland is as biodiversity-rich as tropical rainforests and is defined as an area of land where there has been a continuous cover of trees since 1600. Horton Country Park has six sites of ancient woodland – Great Wood, Pond Wood, Four Acre Wood, Butcher’s Grove, Stone’s Copse and Long Grove Wood.
