Prince's Coverts


Prince's Coverts is an area of of managed woodland in Oxshott, Surrey, England, to which there is public access. It is owned and managed by the Crown Estate who refer to the area as Oxshott Woods. It adjoins Malden Rushett in Greater London, the Pachesham Park estate and Leatherhead Golf Course to the east.

Geography

Princes Coverts is 864 acres of managed woodland owned by the Crown Estate. It includes, separated by roads, a minor northern woodland beyond Fairoaks Lane, Great Oakes and Sixty Acre Wood, and the irregularly shaped Woodlands Park to the south.
The southernmost portion of the very long and quite narrow, almost rectangular Crown Estate has been assigned to and converted to Queen Elizabeth's Foundation for Disabled People's Training College and its Dorincourt home for the disabled, Woodlands Park Golf Course, Leatherhead, and Tyrwhitt House, a combat stress centre.
While the south drains southward to Mole south of the training college, the north, divided by rises, contains three sources of the Rythe and drains northward. The remaining Prince's Coverts area is referred to by the Crown as Oxshott Woods.

History

Prince's Coverts is named after Prince Leopold I of Belgium, who lived at Claremont Park, Esher north-west, which remains linked by a bridleway across Arbrook Common and Farm which has two white-painted metal coal tax posts.
The Claremont Estate was purchased for him in 1816. He later acquired nearby common land which became a shooting estate. This area became known as Prince's Coverts. Following his death, the estate was repurchased by the Crown since which it has been managed by the Crown Estate.

Land Features

The Crown Estate publish a leaflet with a detailed map.

Access

Access for walkers is permitted. Signs indicate that walkers are welcome. Horse riders require a permit.
There are many paths through the woodland. There is a 3.5 mile waymarked trail starting at Prince's Gate.
The entrances are: