Monument record 3079/0/1 - Probable Medieval Park Pale

{1} The area covered by the park and its size are unknown because of conflicting evidence for its boundary. The northern boundary still exists in part but much of it has been destroyed recently by ironstone mining. It can be traced on the ground or from air photos from the Laxton-Harringworth parish boundary (SP94199608) westwards along an existing hedgeline which formerly marked the southern edge of Lodge Field and Walker Well Field (SP992309596). It has a clearly defined bank 10m wide x 1.5m high with traces of an inner ditch. It leaves the present hedge and runs south-west past Park Lodge to a point 350m south-west of the lodge at SP91179511. Here the bank bifurcates.
One part continues south-west following an existing hedgeline as far as the Gretton parish boundary and then turns south-east whence it follows the boundary as far as the north-west corner of Mavis Wood at SP92309382. At this point the boundary is no longer traceable, but if the bank is the limit of the park, this presumably ran along the parish boundary with Bulwick as far as the Deene-Harringworth road (SP93769443). Just west of the road are traces of the bank on the edge of Geese Wood. Further north, on the west side of the road, where it bends east to avoid a prehistoric enclosure, are further traces of a low bank and inner ditch. The boundary may then have turned east to meet the Laxton parish boundary, but no trace now exists.
The other part of the bank which leaves the one described above south-west of Park Lodge, runs south-east and is visible on air photos running towards the upper reaches of Fineshade Broook which it meets north of Dryleas Wood (SP92039475). All traces are then lost, but another boundary bank is visible along the south side of the brook from Gretton boundary to a point south of Harringworth Lodge (SP91609430 to SP93259511). Whether these two latter banks have any connection with the park is unknown. The most probable boundary would be that described first, covering the whole of the south of the parish. However it may be that the original boundary ran along Fineshade Brook and was later extended to the south. The function of the bank on the south side of the brook is not known. Plan.

<1> CADMAN G.E., 1999, Notes In Mangement File, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN58144.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.50/Site 9 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<3> Kennedy A.; Cadman G., 2000, Bulwick Estates Forest Plan: SMR Assessment Report, (checked) (Report). SNN100912.

Record last edited

Sep 22 2014 11:02AM