Editing Staines-upon-Thames (section)

==Parks and open spaces==
===Church Lammas===
[[File:Church Lammas Lakes, Staines-upon-Thames - Geograph 4429353.jpg|thumb|right|Lake at Church Lammas]]
The {{cvt|8.8|ha|acre|adj=on}}<ref>{{cite web |title= A critical re-evaluation of the usage by disabled groups of the Church Lammas Demonstration Project |url= https://davidjarvis.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/10-A-Critical-Re-evaluation-of-the-Usage-by-Disabled-Groups-of-the-Church-Lammas-Demonstration-Project-2008.pdf |date= January 2008 |publisher= David Jarvis Associates Ltd |access-date= 19 May 2022 |archive-date= 21 May 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220521101938/https://davidjarvis.biz/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/10-A-Critical-Re-evaluation-of-the-Usage-by-Disabled-Groups-of-the-Church-Lammas-Demonstration-Project-2008.pdf |url-status= live }}</ref> Church Lammas is an area of [[common land]] to the northeast of the town centre, adjacent to the Lammas Recreation Ground. Between 1988 and 1996, it was the site of a quarry and, after gravel and sand extraction had ceased, the area was landscaped to create a recreational area with three lakes.<ref>{{harvnb|Goble|2016|p=57}}</ref> In 2005, the former quarry operator was awarded the Cooper-Heyman Cup in recognition of its work to ensure that the park is fully accessible to disabled visitors.<ref>{{cite news |title= A new lease of life for disused quarries |date= 16 June 2005 |work= Construction News |url= https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/archive/a-new-lease-of-life-for-disused-quarries-16-06-2005/ |access-date= 19 May 2022 |archive-date= 21 May 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220521101941/https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/archive/a-new-lease-of-life-for-disused-quarries-16-06-2005/ |url-status= live }}</ref>

===Lammas Recreation Ground===
The {{cvt|15|acre|ha|adj=on}} [[Lammas]] lands were granted to the town by John Ashby in 1922. The area opened to the public as a recreation ground in September of the same year. Since it had previously been common land, residents received compensation for the removal of their grazing rights.<ref>{{harvnb|Goble|2016|p=30}}</ref>{{refn|In April 2022, [[Spelthorne Borough Council]] installed [[outdoor gym]] equipment at Lammas Park and Staines Park.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/20704/New-outdoor-gyms |title= New outdoor gyms |date= 9 June 2022 |orig-date= 6 April 2022 |publisher= Spelthorne Borough Council |access-date= 12 June 2022 }}</ref>|group=note|name=Outdoor_Gym}}

===Market Square and Memorial Gardens===
[[File:Public_Art_near_Staines_-_geograph.org.uk_-_306709.jpg|thumb|right|View towards one of the "Swan Arches" from the Memorial Gardens, with the Town Hall on the far left]]
The Memorial Gardens, alongside the River Thames, were first opened in 1897 as the "Town Gardens". They acquired their current name after the First World War when the town war memorial was erected beside the river. In 2002, the Market Square was refurbished and new gateways, known as the "Swan Arches", were installed at the main access points to the Memorial Gardens.<ref name=Jackson_2002_p21/><ref>{{harvnb|Goble|2016|pp=34–35}}</ref>

===Staines Moor===
{{main|Staines Moor}}
The {{cvt|511|ha|acre|adj=on}}<ref name=SSSI_NatEng>{{cite web |last= Arnott |first= Stephen |title= Staines Moor SSSI |url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1001792 |publisher= Natural England |date= 27 July 2018 |access-date= 11 May 2022 |archive-date= 15 May 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220515121726/https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1001792 |url-status= live }}</ref> Staines Moor, north of the town and east of the M25 motorway, is the largest area of common land in Staines. Until the [[Commons Registration Act 1965]] came into force, any homeowner, whose [[chimney]] smoke could be seen from St Mary's Church, was entitled to graze their animals on the moor between April and December each year.<ref>{{harvnb|Maryfield|2006|pp=120–121}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Goble|2016|pp=36–37}}</ref>

Staines Moor is the largest area of alluvial [[meadow]] in Surrey<ref>{{cite web |last= Seagroatt |first= Sue |title= Introducing Staines Moor |url= https://www.colnevalleypark.org.uk/introducing-staines-moor/ |publisher= Colne Valley Park |date= 2 March 2020 |access-date= 11 May 2022 |archive-date= 13 June 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210613142208/https://www.colnevalleypark.org.uk/introducing-staines-moor/ |url-status= live }}</ref> and was designated a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] in 1984.<ref name=SSSI_NatEng/> Several rare plants are found on the moor such as [[Carex disticha|brown sedge]], [[Persicaria minor|small water pepper]] and [[Moenchia erecta|upright chickweed]]. The area also provides a habitat for [[invertebrate]]s including [[bee]]s, [[butterfly|butterflies]] and [[moth]]s. Some 217 species of [[mollusc]] and 190 species of [[bird]] have also been recorded.<ref>{{cite web |last= Dingain |first= Lee |date= 11 February 2022 |title= Sites of Special Scientific Interest |url= https://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/18089/Sites-of-Special-Scientific-Interest |publisher= Spelthorne Borough Council |access-date= 11 May 2022 |archive-date= 11 June 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210611185216/https://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/18089/Sites-of-Special-Scientific-Interest |url-status= live }}</ref>

===Staines Park===
Staines Park at Knowle Green, to the east of the town centre, is a {{cvt|4.7|ha|acre|adj=on}} recreation ground with [[tennis court]]s, a [[bowling green]] and a children's [[playground]]. Since 2019, the park has been legally protected by the charity, [[Fields in Trust]].<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.fieldsintrust.org/FieldSite/Staines-Park |title= Staines Park |author= <!--Not stated--> |year= 2021 |publisher= Fields in Trust |access-date= 11 May 2022 |archive-date= 15 May 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220515121728/https://www.fieldsintrust.org/FieldSite/Staines-Park |url-status= live }}</ref>{{refn|group=note|name=Outdoor_Gym}}