Priest Hill

Restored chalk grassland, Priest Hill has been transformed from abandoned playing fields into a home for wildlife.

Just outside Epsom, Priest Hill offers sweeping grasslands, wildflower meadows, and far-reaching views across the North Downs. Once a playing field, this now rewilded site—managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust—is home to butterflies, grassland birds, and a growing variety of wildflowers. For photographers, it’s a place of light, rhythm, and motion, where butterflies rise in spirals and kestrels hover with poise. Featured in the FeatherFrame nature photography guide, Priest Hill blends accessibility with the raw beauty of managed grassland in transition.

Motion, Meadow Light, and Clean Backgrounds

Priest Hill is a fantastic location for environmental portraits and clean, open-field compositions. The gently rolling slopes create simple, uncluttered backgrounds—ideal for bird-in-flight photography or capturing butterflies on wildflower perches. Skylarks, kestrels, and linnets are common subjects, and the golden light near sunrise and sunset adds shape and mood. Macro photographers will enjoy the sheer diversity of meadow plants and pollinators. It’s a FeatherFrame favourite for showcasing how urban-fringe rewilding creates real photographic magic.

Best Times to Visit:

  • Spring: Skylarks singing, fresh greens, and the return of butterflies

  • Summer: Wildflowers in full bloom, insect activity, and kestrels hunting

  • Autumn: Subtle tones, seedheads, and late-flying butterflies

  • Winter: Frosty grasslands, bird silhouettes, and open sky drama

Plan Your Visit

  • Located just west of Epsom—free access via Priest Hill Lane

  • Paths are open and exposed—dress for wind and bring lens hoods

  • Bring a long lens (400mm+) for birds and macro for meadow details

  • Use the FeatherFrame location map to identify patches with most active flora

Did you know?

Priest Hill is part of a wider rewilding success story in suburban Surrey. Once lost to monoculture, its re-established meadows now support over 80 wildflower species and a growing population of grassland birds. FeatherFrame celebrates this type of urban-edge restoration as a model for sustainable biodiversity.