Monument record 88/0/2 - Close(s) Within Deer Park

{1} The interior of the park is divided into fields, many with hedges on large banks, and a number of other banks, now either partly or completely ploughed out, are visible on air photographs. These suggest that the park was once divided into a number of large closes of unknown purpose. One bank runs north from the north west corner of the moated site to meet the park boundary in the north west corner and another runs west from the moat to the west side of the park. A third can be seen on air photographs, curving south west and then west from Astwell Park, and traces of another run south from Astwell Park to meet a bank approaching from the south west.

A low bank, now ploughed down, which runs from the south west corner of the moat in a westerly direction. This bank can be traced for some 300 m. until it meets the west side of the deer park. The chronological relationship of the bank to the moat and the pond is not clear. It appears to be the boundary of a close or field within the deer park. The probable east boundary of this close runs north from the north west corner of the moat and is now almost ploughed away but, according to old OS plans, it consisted of a low bank with a ditch on its east side and ran north for 460 m until it met the boundary of the deer park near the north west corner of the latter.

{2} Shown as a bank and scarp on OS map.

Aerial photos NCCAP: SP6143/1-2

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.87-8/Sites 11+12 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<2> 1958, OS 6 INCH MAP, SP64SW (unchecked) (Map). SNN14560.

Record last edited

Apr 7 2010 11:03AM