FOCUS ON HORSELL COMMON
Reduced to a heap of fiery ruins, HG Wells' Woking, (Horsell Common) was the site of the Martians' landing. HG lived in a small semi-detached villa in Maybury Road. George Bernard Shaw also lived briefly in the Maybury area, around 1905-6, at a big house called Maybury Knowle.
The Common's 750 acres of land make it the largest single open space in the Borough, representing approximately 80% of the Borough's total common land. The common to the north of shores road and Littlewick Road is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the area provides an ideal habitat for many forms of wildlife. The sandpit where the Martians from H.G. Wells' novel The War Of The Worlds landed, is now home to some rare types of bee and the spider-hunting wasp. Other animals include roe deer, adders, sparrowhawks and woodcocks. Three different types of heather can be found on Horsell Common, ling and bell heather on dry parts and cross-leaved heather on the wetter parts. Areas of historic interest include the three Bronze Age Burial mounds and the Muslim Burial Ground. Parking is available near Anthony's off the A320 and Off Shores Road near the junction with Chobham Road.
