Monument record 4184 - Rockingham Park (Deer Park)

A deer park was in existence by 1256 but it was probably small. The original pale survives as a bank and ditch on the south-western side. The park was enlarged in 1485, the boundaries marked on a map of 1615 but difficult to trace on the ground. The park was further enlarged in 1638.

{1} Documentary references to the deer park from the mid C13th onwards.

{2} A park at Rockingham was in existence in 1256, when Hugh de Goldingham, seneschal of the king's forest, was ordered to provide William de Swinford with six oaks "IN FORESTA REGIS ROCKINGHAM EXTRA PARCUM". This early park probably corresponds to the 32 acre enclosure called "Lyme kiln quarter" on the map of 1615. The probable early boundary can be seen in part as an earthwork. On the western side its pale can be seen as a well preserved bank 3m wide, 2m high with an internal ditch 2m wide. Thereafter the boundary probably followed a line corresponding to the crest of the steep northward slope here. After, for some distance the pale is represented by a bank 0.5m high and later northwards as a steep slope with a terrace 2m wide. Afterwards probably follows the crest of the ridge to form a rough rectangle.The early park was enlarged to 260 acres by Henry VII in 1485. On September 21st of that year Sir William Stokke was made "keeper of the New Park at Rockingham for life" Increase due to desire for a bigger area to murder deer. Phase 2 of the park included hunting lodge, moated with a pair of additional buildings and orchard. Crown leased the land to Edward Watson in 1554 and later Sir Lewis Watson brought park in 1619. In 1638 it was deforested and was enlarged with ditches,walls and fences marking its boundary. In the 19th century it was further enlarged.

{5} The deer park at Rockingham is first mentioned in 1256. It was a small park, probably straddling the parish boundary with Cottingham. It was enlarged in 1485 to 260 acres. The western portion of the park, within Cottingham township, including the lodge, is depicted a map of Cottingham woods in 1580. At this time most of the park was relatively open parkland although the western part of the park had some trees, as seen again in 1615. The park is shown in full on the Rockingham map of 1615. Only slight earthwork traces of the pale survive, the main sections of pale at the north end of the monument probably relating to the original medieval park. It was further enlarged in 1638 with further minor 17th and 18th century extensions. A moated lodge was constructed within the park at some point before 1580 and was finally demolished in about 1827.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.128/Site 12 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> BROWN A.E.; TAYLOR C.C., 1974, The Earthworks of Rockingham and its Neighbourhood, p.68-79 (unchecked) (Article). SNN40063.

<3> STEANE J.M., 1975, The Medieval Parks of Northamptonshire, p.230+231 (Article). SNN37713.

<5> FOARD G., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Rockingham (Medieval and Post Medieval), (checked) (Digital archive). SNN100473.

<6> 1615, Map of Rockingham 1615, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100477.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 7:53PM