Boston Common
Encyclopedia
Boston Common is a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Boston Commons". Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States
. The Boston Common consists of 50 acres (20.2 ha) of land bounded by Tremont Street
, Park Street
, Beacon Street
, Charles Street, and Boylston Street
. The Common is part of the Emerald Necklace
of parks and parkways that extend from the Common south to Franklin Park
in Roxbury
. A visitors' center for all of Boston is located on the Tremont Street side of the park.
The Central Burying Ground
is found on the Boylston Street side of Boston Common. There, one can find the burial sites of the artist Gilbert Stuart
and the composer William Billings
. Also buried there are Samuel Sprague and his son, Charles Sprague
, one of America's earliest poets. Samuel Sprague was a participant in the Boston Tea Party
and fought in the Revolutionary War
.
(often given the modernized spelling "Blackstone"), the first European settler of Boston, until it was bought from him by the Puritan
founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
. During the 1630s, it was used by many families as a cow pasture. However, this only lasted for a few years, as affluent families bought additional cows, which led to overgrazing
, a real-life example of the Tragedy of the commons
. After grazing was limited in 1646 to 70 cows at a time, the Boston Common continued to host cows until they were formally banned from it in 1830 by Mayor Harrison Gray Otis.
The Common was used as a camp
by the British
before the American Revolutionary War
, from which they left for the Battle of Lexington and Concord. It was used for public hanging
s up until 1817, most of which were from a large oak
which was replaced with gallows
in 1769. In 1660 Mary Dyer
was hanged there by the Puritans for preaching Quakerism.
On May 19, 1713, two hundred citizens rioted on the Common in reaction to a food shortage in the city. They later attacked the ships and warehouses of wealthy merchant Andrew Belcher, who was exporting grain to the Caribbean for higher profits. The lieutenant governor was shot during the riot.
True park status seems to have emerged no later than 1830, when the grazing of cows was ended and renaming the Common as Washington Park was proposed (renaming the bordering Sentry Street to Park Street in 1808 already acknowledged the reality). By 1836 an ornamental iron fence fully enclosed the Common and its five perimeter malls or recreational promenades, the first of which, Tremont Mall, had been in place since 1728, in imitation of St. James's Park
in London. Given these improvements dating back to 1728, a case could be made that Boston Common is in fact the world's first public urban park, since these developments precede the establishment of the earliest public urban parks in England—Derby Arboretum (1840), Peel Park, Salford (1846), and Birkenhead Park (1847)—which are often considered the first.
A hundred people gathered on the Common in early 1965 to protest the Vietnam War
. A second protest happened on October 15, 1969, this time with 100,000 people protesting.
Today the Common serves as a public park for all to use for formal or informal gatherings. Events such as concerts, protests, softball games, and ice skating (on Frog Pond) often take place in the park. Famous individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II
have made speeches there. Judy Garland
gave her largest concert ever (100,000+) on the Common, on August 31, 1967.
It was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark
in 1987. The Boston Common is a public park managed by the Boston Park Department. A private advocacy group, the Friends of the Public Garden, provides additional funding for maintenance and special events.
On October 21, 2006, the Common became the site of a new world record, when 30,128 Jack-o'-lantern
s were lit simultaneously around the park at the Life is good Pumpkin Festival. The previous record, held by Keene, New Hampshire
since 2003, was 28,952.
On August 27, 2007, two teenagers were shot on the Common. One of the bullets fired during the shooting struck the Massachusetts State House
. A strict curfew
has since been enforced, which has been protested by the homeless population of Boston.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Boston Commons". Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Boston Common consists of 50 acres (20.2 ha) of land bounded by Tremont Street
Tremont Street
Tremont Street is a major thoroughfare in Boston, Massachusetts.-Etymology:The name is a variation of one of the original appellations of the city, "Trimountaine," a reference to a hill that formerly had three peaks. Beacon Hill, with its single peak, is all that remains of the Trimountain...
, Park Street
Park Street, Boston
This article refers to Park Street in Boston. For other Park Streets, please see the Park Street disambiguation page.Park Street is a small but notable road in the center of Boston, Massachusetts. It begins at the top of Beacon Hill, at the intersection of Beacon Street, where it is lined up with...
, Beacon Street
Beacon Street
Beacon Street is a major thoroughfare in Boston, Massachusetts and several of its western suburbs. Beacon Street in Boston, Brookline, Brighton, and Newton is not to be confused with the Beacon Street in nearby Somerville, or others elsewhere.-Description:...
, Charles Street, and Boylston Street
Boylston Street
Boylston Street is the name of a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Another Boylston Street runs through Boston's western suburbs....
. The Common is part of the Emerald Necklace
Emerald Necklace
The Emerald Necklace consists of an chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline, Massachusetts. It gets its name from the way the planned chain appears to hang from the "neck" of the Boston peninsula, although it was never fully constructed.-Overview:The Necklace...
of parks and parkways that extend from the Common south to Franklin Park
Franklin Park, Boston
Franklin Park, a partially wooded parkland in the Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts, is maintained by the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department...
in Roxbury
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
. A visitors' center for all of Boston is located on the Tremont Street side of the park.
The Central Burying Ground
Central Burying Ground (Boston, Massachusetts)
The Central Burying Ground in Boston, Massachusetts was established on the Common in 1756. It is located at the corner of Boylston Street and Tremont Street...
is found on the Boylston Street side of Boston Common. There, one can find the burial sites of the artist Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...
and the composer William Billings
William Billings
William Billings was an American choral composer, and is widely regarded as the father of American choral music...
. Also buried there are Samuel Sprague and his son, Charles Sprague
Charles Sprague (poet)
Charles Sprague was an early American poet. He worked for 45 years for the State and Globe Banks and was often referred to as the "Banker Poet of Boston". His odes and prologues won several competitive prizes and were collected and published in 1841 as The Writings of Charles Sprague.-Personal...
, one of America's earliest poets. Samuel Sprague was a participant in the Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government and the monopolistic East India Company that controlled all the tea imported into the colonies...
and fought in the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
History
The Common's purpose has changed over the years. It was once owned by William BlaxtonWilliam Blaxton
Reverend William Blaxton was an early British settler in New England, and the first European settler of modern day Boston and Rhode Island.-Biography:...
(often given the modernized spelling "Blackstone"), the first European settler of Boston, until it was bought from him by the Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
. During the 1630s, it was used by many families as a cow pasture. However, this only lasted for a few years, as affluent families bought additional cows, which led to overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
, a real-life example of the Tragedy of the commons
Tragedy of the commons
The tragedy of the commons is a dilemma arising from the situation in which multiple individuals, acting independently and rationally consulting their own self-interest, will ultimately deplete a shared limited resource, even when it is clear that it is not in anyone's long-term interest for this...
. After grazing was limited in 1646 to 70 cows at a time, the Boston Common continued to host cows until they were formally banned from it in 1830 by Mayor Harrison Gray Otis.
The Common was used as a camp
Military camp
A military camp or bivouac is a semi-permanent facility for the lodging of an army. Camps are erected when a military force travels away from a major installation or fort during training or operations, and often have the form of large campsites. In the Roman era the military camp had highly...
by the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
before the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, from which they left for the Battle of Lexington and Concord. It was used for public hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
s up until 1817, most of which were from a large oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
which was replaced with gallows
Gallows
A gallows is a frame, typically wooden, used for execution by hanging, or by means to torture before execution, as was used when being hanged, drawn and quartered...
in 1769. In 1660 Mary Dyer
Mary Dyer
Mary Baker Dyer was an English Puritan turned Quaker who was hanged in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony , for repeatedly defying a Puritan law banning Quakers from the colony...
was hanged there by the Puritans for preaching Quakerism.
On May 19, 1713, two hundred citizens rioted on the Common in reaction to a food shortage in the city. They later attacked the ships and warehouses of wealthy merchant Andrew Belcher, who was exporting grain to the Caribbean for higher profits. The lieutenant governor was shot during the riot.
St. James's Park
St. James's Park is a 23 hectare park in the City of Westminster, central London - the oldest of the Royal Parks of London. The park lies at the southernmost tip of the St. James's area, which was named after a leper hospital dedicated to St. James the Less.- Geographical location :St. James's...
in London. Given these improvements dating back to 1728, a case could be made that Boston Common is in fact the world's first public urban park, since these developments precede the establishment of the earliest public urban parks in England—Derby Arboretum (1840), Peel Park, Salford (1846), and Birkenhead Park (1847)—which are often considered the first.
A hundred people gathered on the Common in early 1965 to protest the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. A second protest happened on October 15, 1969, this time with 100,000 people protesting.
Today the Common serves as a public park for all to use for formal or informal gatherings. Events such as concerts, protests, softball games, and ice skating (on Frog Pond) often take place in the park. Famous individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
have made speeches there. Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
gave her largest concert ever (100,000+) on the Common, on August 31, 1967.
It was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1987. The Boston Common is a public park managed by the Boston Park Department. A private advocacy group, the Friends of the Public Garden, provides additional funding for maintenance and special events.
On October 21, 2006, the Common became the site of a new world record, when 30,128 Jack-o'-lantern
Jack-o'-lantern
A jack-o'-lantern is typically a carved pumpkin. It is associated chiefly with the holiday of Halloween and was named after the phenomenon of strange light flickering over peat bogs, called ignis fatuus or jack-o'-lantern...
s were lit simultaneously around the park at the Life is good Pumpkin Festival. The previous record, held by Keene, New Hampshire
Keene, New Hampshire
Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...
since 2003, was 28,952.
On August 27, 2007, two teenagers were shot on the Common. One of the bullets fired during the shooting struck the Massachusetts State House
Massachusetts State House
The Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
. A strict curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
has since been enforced, which has been protested by the homeless population of Boston.
Notable features of the Common
- The Massachusetts State HouseMassachusetts State HouseThe Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
stands across Beacon Street from the northern edge of the Common. - The Common forms the southern foot of Beacon HillBeacon Hill, Boston, MassachusettsBeacon Hill is a historic neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, that along with the neighboring Back Bay is home to about 26,000 people. It is a neighborhood of Federal-style rowhouses and is known for its narrow, gas-lit streets and brick sidewalks...
. - Plaque to the Great Elm tree, which had been adorned with lanterns to represent liberty, used as a point of fortification and been used for hangings.
- The monument to Robert Gould ShawRobert Gould ShawRobert Gould Shaw was an American officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. As colonel, he commanded the all-black 54th Regiment, which entered the war in 1863. He was killed in the Second Battle of Fort Wagner, near Charleston, South Carolina...
and the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry54th Massachusetts Volunteer InfantryThe 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that saw extensive service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was one of the first official black units in the United States during the Civil War...
stands at Beacon and Park Streets, the northeast corner of the Common, opposite the State House. - The Soldiers and Sailors MonumentSoldiers and Sailors Monument (Boston)The Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Boston Common at Boston, in the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, was erected in memory of Massachusetts soldiers and sailors who died in the U.S. Civil War. Designed by Martin Milmore, construction began in 1874 and the monument was dedicated on September...
is a victory columnVictory columnA victory column is a monument in the form of a column, erected in memory of a victorious war or battle. The column stands on a base and is crowned with a victory symbol in the form of a statue...
on Flag Staff Hill in the Common - The Boston Public GardenBoston Public GardenThe Public Garden, also known as Boston Public Garden, is a large park located in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, adjacent to Boston Common.-History:...
, a more formal landscaped park, lies to the west of the Common across Charles Street (and was originally considered an extension of the Common). - Frog Pond, a public ice-skating rink in winter months, is situated in the northern portion.
- Brewer Fountain, standing near the corner of Park and Tremont Streets, by Park Street Station. The 22 feet (6.7 m), 15000 pounds (6,803.9 kg) bronze fountain, cast in Paris, was a gift to the city by Gardner Brewer; it began to function for the first time on June 3, 1868. It is the only known surviving copy of the original, featured at the 1855 Paris World Fair, designed by French artist Liénard.http://www.celebrateboston.com/sites/boston-common-brewer-fountain.htm The fountain is decorated with the figures of Neptune, Amphitrite (Neptune’s wife), and Acis and Galatea, a couple from Greek mythology.http://www.aviewoncities.com/boston/bostoncommon.htm It fell into disrepair and finally stopped functioning entirely in 2003. A major repair project began in 2009.http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/06/12/141_year_old_brewer_fountain_to_undergo_restoration/ After a year-long, $640,000, complete off-site restoration, led by sculpture conservator Joshua Craine of Daedalus Inc., it was once again fully functional, and was re-dedicated on May 26, 2010.http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/05/27/a_jewel_of_the_boston_common_glistens_once_more/http://www.cluelessinboston.com/2010/05/brewer-fountain-re-dedication.html
- Park Street Station, the first subway station in America, stands at the eastern corner of the park.
- Boylston Station at the southern corner is America's second subway station. Originally a horse-pulled underground rail line was used between Park Street Station and Boylston Station.
- Boston Common is the southern end of Boston's Freedom TrailFreedom TrailThe Freedom Trail is a red path through downtown Boston, Massachusetts, that leads to 16 significant historic sites. It is a 2.5-mile walk from Boston Common to Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. Simple ground markers explaining events, graveyards, notable churches and other buildings, and a...
; the starting point is near Park Street Station. - Parkman BandstandParkman BandstandThe Parkman Bandstand is a landmark bandstand located on the eastern side of the Boston Common in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It was built in 1912 from a design by Derby, Robinson & Shephard at a cost of $1 million on the site of the Cow Pond , which had been filled in 1838 after cattle-grazing had...
, in the eastern part of the park, is commonly used in musical and theatrical productions. - The softball fields lie in the southwest corner of the Common.
- A grassy area forms the west part of the park, and is most commonly used for the park's largest events. A parking garage underlies this part of the Common. A granite slab there commemorates Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul IIBlessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
's October 1979 visit to Boston. - Since 1971 the Province of Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
has donated the annual Christmas Tree to the City of Boston as an enduring thank-you for the relief efforts of the Boston Red Cross and the Massachusetts Public Safety Committee following the Halifax ExplosionHalifax ExplosionThe Halifax Explosion occurred on Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, was devastated by the huge detonation of the SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship, fully loaded with wartime explosives, which accidentally collided with the Norwegian SS Imo in "The Narrows"...
of 1917. In recent years the tree has been located on the Common. - The Masonic Grand Lodge of MassachusettsGrand Lodge of MassachusettsThe Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, commonly referred to as the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and abbreviated GLMA, is the main governing body of Freemasonry within Massachusetts, and maintains Lodges in other jurisdictions...
headquarters sits across from the southern corner of the Common, at the intersection of Boylston and Tremont Streets. - Also across from the southern corner of the Common, along Boylston and Tremont Streets, lies the campus of Emerson CollegeEmerson CollegeEmerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
. - In 1913 and 1986 prehistoric sites were discovered on the Common indicating Native American presence in the area as far back as 8,500 years ago.
- A monumental inscription at the corner of Park Street and Tremont Street reads:
"In or about
the year of our Lord
One Thousand Six Hundred
thirty and four
the then present inhabitants
of the Town of Boston of whom
the Hon John Winthrop Esq
Gov of the Colony was Chiefe
did treat and agree with
Mr William Blackstone
for the purchase of his
Estate and any
Lands living within said
neck of Land called
Boston
after which purchase the
Town laid out a plan for
a trayning field for which ever
since and now is used for
that purpose and for
the feeding of cattell"
- Sometime in late 2011, or early 2012, Florida-based Earl of Sandwich is going to open a takeout sandwich shop in an old restroom on Boston Common. The restroom hasn't been used in 20 years.
Notable recurring events on the Common
- Commonwealth Shakespeare CompanyCommonwealth Shakespeare CompanyThe Commonwealth Shakespeare Company was formed in 1996 by artistic director Steven Maler and associate Joan Moynagh to bring free, outdoor Shakespeare to the people of the city of Boston. Since 1996, CSC has produced one full Shakespeare production each summer starting with A Midsummer Night's...
's Shakespeare on the Common. - Boston Lyric OperaBoston Lyric OperaBoston Lyric Opera is an American opera company based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1976.Each season, BLO produces three mainstage productions at the Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre in Boston and a fully staged, one-hour English language version of a popular opera for school...
's Outdoor Opera Series. - Ancient Fishweir ProjectAncient Fishweir ProjectAncient Fishweir Project is a collaborative group that creates an annual public art installation on Boston Common. In the spring of each year, members of the Massachuset and Wampanoag Native American tribes work with students, educators and artists to construct a fish-weir in honor of the people...
Installation Event. - Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition's Freedom RallyFreedom RallyThe Boston Freedom Rally is an annual event in Boston, Massachusetts. Held on the third Saturday in September, it is traditionally the second largest annual gathering demanding marijuana law reform in the United States, after the Seattle Hempfest...
. - Boston Pride.
See also
- Boston martyrsBoston martyrsThe Boston martyrs is the name given in Quaker tradition to the three English members of the Society of Friends, Marmaduke Stephenson, William Robinson and Mary Dyer, and to the Friend William Leddra of Barbados, who were condemned to death and executed by public hanging for their religious beliefs...
- Granary Burying GroundGranary Burying GroundFounded in 1660, the Granary Burying Ground in Massachusetts is the city of Boston's third-oldest cemetery. Located on Tremont Street, it is the final resting place for many notable Revolutionary War-era patriots, including three signers of the Declaration of Independence, Paul Revere and the five...
- King's Chapel burying groundKing's Chapel Burying GroundKing's Chapel Burying Ground is a historic cemetery at King's Chapel on Tremont Street in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest cemetery in the city and is a site on the Freedom Trail....
- Boston Public GardenBoston Public GardenThe Public Garden, also known as Boston Public Garden, is a large park located in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, adjacent to Boston Common.-History:...
Further reading
- The public rights in Boston Common: Being the report of a committee of citizens. Boston: Press of Rockwell and Churchill, 1877 Google books
- Samuel Barber. Boston Common: a diary of notable events, incidents, and neighboring occurrences, 2nd ed. Boston: Christopher Publishing House, 1916. Google books
External links
- "A View on Cities," article on Boston Common
- Boston National Historical Park
- Friends of the Public Garden, an advocacy group formed in 1970 to preserve and enhance Boston Common
- Boston Common Frog Pond Foundation, a not-for profit body which overseas activities at The Common.