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Currently consisting of 450 acres of Lowland Heath that is a local nature reserve. The current common is split into five sections; Memorial Common bounded by the A272, 275 and B 2183; Pound Common lying south of the B2183 and the minor road to Wivelsfield; Romany Ridge Common to the south of the A272 and west of the minor road to Wivelsfield; Red House Common to the north of the A272, west of A275 and minor road to Horsted Keynes; and Lane End Common to the north which is detached from the rest lying east of the A275 and north of the minor road to Fletching. Another strip, Godleys Green, running between the minor roads to Wivelsfield and Plumpton Crossways respectively is also included in the reserve. Access is not open though the public can use the existing tracks and footpaths through each of the commons.

Being a poor parish Chailey has historically relied on its commons to help sustain its population and during the medieval period the extent of the common ran from the north of the parish in an arc to the east of the main village to the south. Parts of this were lost to inclosure during the early 17th century which left two large tracts known as North and South Common which survived for another 200 years when the latter was enclosed in the mid 19th century. The former remained and was used for military training during World War Two becoming an SSSI in 1955 and a local nature reserve ten years later. Consequently the North Common's landscape has retained its open lowland heath unbroken throughout the centuries.

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Created: Fri, 24 Dec 2010, Updated: Fri, 24 Dec 2010