It is bordered by mature lime and horse chestnut trees and is managed by Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council to promote nature conservation.

[2] The common is so called as it had a pest house, a structure used for quarantining people with communicable diseases.

The common, which used to belong to the Crown, originally extended from the bottom of Queen's Road to the gates of Richmond Park.

Goods or cattle belonging to those had failed to pay fines imposed by the local courts were put there.

[4] A 1785 Act of Parliament granted the common to Richmond vestry, and it was then enclosed for a workhouse[nb 1] and burial ground, except for a small portion next to the lower part of Queen's Road.