Iping and Stedham Commons

{{Short description|Nature reserve in West Sussex, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image= Iping Common, dusk - geograph.org.uk - 1437261.jpg

|image_caption =

|name= Iping Common

|aos= West Sussex

|coordinates = {{Coord| 50.990|-0.792|type:landmark_region:GB-WSX|display=title,inline}}

|interest=Biological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall|SU 849 219}}

|area= {{convert|125.4|ha|acre|abbr=off}}

|notifydate= 1986

|map=[https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271000461%27 Magic Map]

}}

Iping and Stedham Commons is a nature reserve owned and managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust.{{cite web|url= https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/visit/iping-stedham-commons |title= Iping and Stedham Commons |publisher= Sussex Wildlife Trust |access-date= 1 May 2019}} It is a {{convert| 125.4 |ha|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (designated as Iping Common but covering both commons) near the villages of Iping and Stedham, west of Midhurst in West Sussex.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1000461&SiteName=&countyCode=46&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Iping Common | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 1 May 2019}}{{cite web|url= https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271000461%27|title=Map of Iping Common|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 1 May 2019}} It is also a Local Nature Reserve{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteLNRDetail.aspx?SiteCode=L1008971&SiteName=&countyCode=46&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea=|title=Iping Common (Stedham with Iping) |series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England| access-date= 1 May 2019}}{{cite web|url= https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=Ref_CODE%3D%271008971%27|title=Map of Iping Common (Stedham with Iping) |series= Local Nature Reserves |publisher=Natural England| access-date= 1 May 2019}} and a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade 2.{{cite book|editor-first=Derek |editor-last=Ratcliffe |title=A Nature Conservation Review|volume=2 |page= 119|publisher= Cambridge University Press|location =Cambridge, UK |year=1977|isbn= 0521-21403-3 }}

This is described by Natural England as one of the richest areas of heath in the county. Most of it is dry but there are also areas of wet heath, two ponds, woodland, scrub and grassland. It has a rich invertebrate fauna and breeding heathland birds include nightjars and stonechats.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/PDFsForWeb/Citation/1000461.pdf |title=Iping Common citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 1 May 2019}}

There is access from Elsted Road, which runs between the two commons.