11 Rectory Green, Rectory Lane

Rectory Green on Rectory Lane is owned and managed by the Buckland Estate, and it wears its history lightly. Known as Parson's Green as far back as 1653, an archaeological dig in 2013 suggested that this quiet corner of Buckland was once the very heart of the village — from before the Domesday Book right through to around 1350 — and may even have been the site of its first church. Standing here, you are quite literally on ancient ground.

That long, undisturbed history is precisely what makes Rectory Green so special from a wildlife perspective. A botanical survey conducted in 2025 by Surrey Wildlife Trust recorded an impressive 89 plant species across this small area of grassland — a number that speaks to centuries of continuity and careful management. The Green is classified as a neutral grassland, and with an average of nearly 10 plant species per square metre, it meets an important threshold that ecologists use to identify grassland in genuinely good condition. Grasses are present throughout but never overbearing, with herbaceous flowering plants making up around 30% of the sward — giving the Green that open, flower-rich character that is increasingly rare in the modern landscape.

Among the most common wildflowers you'll find here are meadow buttercup, birds-foot trefoil, knapweed and red sorrel. A full species list can be found at the bottom of this page.

Rectory Green forms part of the 4Bs Biodiversity Initiative, a collaborative effort to restore and connect wildflower habitats across the local area.