Place Name

Backside Common, Surrey, England

Where the Grass Is Green and the Name Raises Eyebrows

Introduction

If you’ve ever found yourself lost in Surrey and suddenly realised, you're in Backside Common, don’t worry - you haven’t taken a wrong turn into a Victorian insult. You’ve merely stumbled upon one of England’s most delightfully awkward place names, where open space meets open-ended giggles.

Backside Common sounds like it could be the punchline to a Monty Python sketch or a particularly niche yoga pose. But no - it’s a real location, mapped, named, and entirely unbothered by your schoolyard humour. It’s the kind of place that makes you check the sign twice, chuckle once, and then Google it out of sheer disbelief. So, let’s take a stroll (from the front) through the surprisingly respectable history of Backside Common.

Toponymy

Let’s unpack the name, shall we?

• Backside: In good old English and Scots usage, "backside" originally meant just the rear part of something - a property, a settlement, or perhaps an awkward hill. In today’s slangier world, it’s a term for your posterior, of course, which is why this name lands with such comedic flair.

• Common: A “common” is a piece of land historically shared by the local community - for grazing, gathering firewood, or having a good wander before everyone got obsessed with treadmills.

So, in historical terms, Backside Common probably meant “the common land at the rear of the village.” Entirely innocent. Completely utilitarian. But try saying that without giggling now that you’re picturing a local council meeting about the “state of the backside.”

To be fair, the name has likely remained unchallenged because Brits love a good double entendre - and frankly, this one is gold.

Historical Context

Backside Common sits within leafy, picturesque Surrey - a county known for its commuter towns, National Trust sites, and occasional bits of rural cheek.

In the Middle Ages, commons were the lifeblood of local peasantry. They were where you let your animals graze, gathered bracken, and gossiped about whoever had been kicked out of the village stocks. Backside Common would’ve been an essential part of daily life - even if it sounds like a Tudor euphemism.

By the 18th century, much of England’s common land was privatised through the Enclosure Acts. Backside Common, however, seems to have kept its charming name and character, avoiding the fate of becoming a golf course or “Lower Backside Close.”

As Surrey expanded, absorbing villages into London’s greenbelt, some place names were “updated” for decorum. But not this one. Backside Common refused to be rebranded - and for that, we salute it.

Points of Interest

Despite its name, Backside Common is genuinely lovely, offering all the pastoral charm one expects from Surrey’s gentler corners. Here are some highlights in and around the area:

• The Common Itself - Grassy, peaceful, and just wild enough to make you feel like you're not ten minutes from a Costa Coffee. Great for dog walking, picnicking, or awkwardly taking selfies with the sign.

• Nearby Villages - The surrounding areas are full of thatched roofs, crooked pubs, and locals who are politely unfazed by your giggling. Think of it as the English countryside with a wink.

• Walking Trails - Backside Common is surrounded by footpaths that meander through hedgerows, across meadows, and into more sensibly named areas. Bring boots. And your sense of direction.

• Wisley Gardens - One of the most renowned gardens in England, operated by the Royal Horticultural Society.

• Painshill Park - An 18th-century landscaped garden near Cobham.

• Box Hill: A famous beauty spot in the North Downs offering panoramic views.

• Brooklands Museum: Displaying the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation.

Notable Figures

Backside Common hasn’t (yet) launched any global superstars, but Surrey is no stranger to fame. Here are a few notables with some connection to the wider county:

• Jane Austen - While not from Backside Common, Austen lived and wrote nearby. One imagines she’d have had a field day with the name - or at least used it for a minor character with a scandalous past.

• Sir Alec Guinness - Born in nearby Marylebone but later a Surrey resident, the legendary actor probably walked many commons - though never, as far as we know, this one.

• General British Eccentricity - The real celebrity here is the British tradition of naming places things that sound rude to everyone under 45. Backside Common stands proudly in that noble lineage.

• H.G. Wells - the science fiction pioneer, lived in Woking where he wrote The War of the Worlds.

• Alan Turing - the computing pioneer, attended Sherborne School in nearby Dorset but had connections across Surrey.

Conclusion

Backside Common may sound like the punchline to a Carry On film, but it’s actually a serene, scenic part of Surrey’s greenbelt - albeit with a name that practically begs for attention. It’s a reminder that history has a sense of humour, and that even the quietest corners of the English countryside can still make you snort into your latte.

Whether you visit for the walks, the wildlife, or the inevitable Instagram post, Backside Common delivers charm, comedy, and a bit of cheeky topographical joy.

And if you enjoyed this jaunt into linguistically loaded landscapes, have a poke around Strange Place Names - we’ve got plenty more where that came from.

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