Monument record 6413/1 - Wakefield Lawn

{1} The most striking feature of Wakefield Walk in Whittlewood was Wakefield Lawn which was enlarged c.1600 by James I and totally encircled by woodland. The lawn was overlooked by Wakefield Great Lodge. Two former woodwards were fined for destroying two coppices to enlarge Wakefield Laund. The lieutenant of Whittlewood was traditionally allowed to keep about 10 head of cattle and 15 horses on Wakefield Lawn but in the 1670s Thomas Kingston must have been deriving considerable profit from c.50 cattle; in 1677 he sold the butcher at Potterspury 20 fat beasts which had been reared in 20 weeks on Wakefield Lawn. The Surveyor General of the Woods reported in 1691 that a watch tower was needed on Wakefield Lawn to prevent the illegal coursing of deer.

{2} Enclosed lawn called Wakefield Lawn contains 245 acres.

{5} Wakefield Lawn is 244 acres and shows sometimes seven or eight hundred deer, generally three or four hundred in any one day.

<1> Pettit P.A.J., 1968, The Royal Forests of Northamptonshire: A Study in Their Economy 1558-1714, p.13+45+49+150 (unchecked) (Series). SNN42130.

<2> Evans J.; Britton J., 1810, The Beauties of England and Wales (Northamptonshire), p.27 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1351.

<3> Page M., 2003, The Extent of Whittlewood Forest and The Impact of Disafforestation in The Later Middle Ages, p.22-34 (unchecked) (Article). SNN109361.

<4> Hall D., 2001, The Woodland Landscapes of Southern Northamptonshire, p.33-46 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102520.

<5> Morton J., 1712, The Natural History of Northamptonshire, p.11 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10113.

Record last edited

Jun 13 2017 10:16AM