Monument record 592 - Preston Capes Medieval Deer Park

Deer park, covering 140ha, was enclosed in 1227 by John de Montacute. The park was surrounded by a bank boundary, much of which still survives or can be traced on air photographs. Even where the bank is absent the line of the park can be deduced from existing hedgelines.

{1} The park lies within the former lordship of Little Preston and was enclosed in 1227 by John de Montacute, who then held that manor. It covered c.140ha. Plan: fig.127.
The park was surrounded by a bank, much of which still survives or can be traced on air photographs. Even where the bank is absent the line of the park can be deduced from existing hedgelines.
The whole of the east side of the park coincides with the parish boundary between Preston Capes, Farthingstone and Maidford. A bank, slight in the north, but up to 1.5m high in the south, can be traced for most of its length. At the south-east corner (SP59175412) where the park and parish boundaries diverge the bank curves west along the edge of the park and follows the existing hedge line for 700m. Beyond this point (SP59085421) the bank continues north-west for 160m between two separate blocks of ridge and furrow, diagonally to the ridges, but it has not been used as a headland. The limits of the park in this area seem to have been determined by the position of the village and the manor house, both now deserted. The boundary bank twists to the north and is cut by the end of the main hollow way of the village so that the village lies outside and the site of the manor house inside the park (SP58945432). From there the boundary continues west down the hillside as a scarp, or as a large bank up to 1.5m high across a small combe. At one point it is cut by the closes of abandoned houses. From there it continues as a hedge closely following the contours of the scarp (from SP58765430 to SP58045473). The boundary is next visible as a low bank across a field (to SP58225495) then as the line of a small stream (to SP58765531) and then as a large bank running up the scarp to join the parish boundary (SP58965541).

{3} In the 11th year of the reign of Henry III John de Montacute paid a fine of 40 marks for leave to inclose a part of Little Preston. Little Preston was formerly a large manor house, probably the seat of Walter de Montacute. There was a great piece of water adjoining, now called Cellar pool. Now the Knightley family possess the manor.

{5} Watching brief undertaken during the construction of an all weather gallop. A slight bank was noted where the gallop crossed the west boundary of Preston Deer Park. There was no internal ditch, apart from a modern field ditch. The topography slopes steeply away from the inner (ie Park) side of the bank at this point thereby obviating the need for an internal ditch.

{8} Geophysical survey undertaken by MOLA in 2024 revealed evidence for the park boundary running through the western part of the survey.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.165+167 (checked) (Series). SNN77381.

<2> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCCAP:SP5854/018+21-23 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<3> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.81 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<4> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.429 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<5> Ivens R.J., 2001, All Weather Gallop, Castle Farm, Preston Capes, Northamptonshire; Report on Watching Brief July 2001 (Report). SNN101230.

<6> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, (RAF CPE/UK/1994 2159-61) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<7> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire II (Central), 889739/ 889742 (Archive). SNN112900.

<8> John Walford and Daniel Whatton, 2024, Archaeological geophysical survey at Stowe Road, Preston Capes, Northamptonshire, May 2024 (Report). SNN116640.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 8:42PM