Monument record 1506 - Brigstock Little Park (aka The Queen's Park)

The Little Park was created for Queen Philippa in 1348 and is sometimes refered to as Queen's Park. Disparking did not occur until 1610. Lack of agriculture during the medieval period has meant that there is a high survival factor of the archaeological sites contained within the park.

{1} Brigstock Little Park. The earliest reference to a park at Brigstock is 1227-31, when oaks were granted by the king to William d’Aubigny. There was evidently an extension made in the C14th when Edward III granted licence for Queen Philippa to make a park at Brigstock. Walter de Wyght, yeoman keeper of the park, was given the job to have the enclosure finished, make dykes there and deer leaps, and lodges and to have the palings of the park repaired with timber from the park. William Brasier’s map of 1728 (NRO) shows the boundaries of the park. A walk around these shows in places considerable traces of earthworks. They include a long linear mound in Splash Meadow which runs parallel with the hedgeline marking the bounds of the park (east of Park Farm at SP936847). The next field was called “The Lawn” in the Brasier map and the next to the south was called Ald Dykes. Here is a well preserved linear mound and slight traces of an internal ditch. The road between Brigstock and Grafton seems to divide the Great Park from the Little Park. On the edge of Palk Gate Close and Saw Tree Coppice are massive banks. The south-east and south-west limits of the park run along the parish boundaries and border on two other medieval parks, Drayton and Grafton.

{2} The Little Park was created for Queen Philippa in 1348 and is sometimes refered to as Queen's Park (The Great Park also being known as King's Park). Disparking did not occur until 1610. Lack of agriculture during the medieval period has meant that there is a high survival factor of the archaeological sites contained within the park.

{3} Repeats the text of reference {1}.

{4} In the C14th Edward III granted licence to his Queen Philippa to make a park with enclosure, dykes, deer leaps, lodges and trenches. This was the origin of The Queen’s or Little Park at Brigstock. It lay to the south of The King’s or Great Park. Offences against the forest law are recorded as taking place within Brigstock Park, including hare poaching. The parks were apparently deep in Rockingham Forest for Edward III granted 60 acres of wood north of his park at Brigstock.
Herbage and pannage within the park was farmed out in the Middle Ages. William Brasier’s map of 1728 (NRO Map 3111) shows the boundaries of the park. A walk around these shows in places substantial traces of earthworks. They include a long linear mound in Splash Meadow which runs parallel with the hedgeline marking the bounds of the park (east of Park Farm at SP929847). The next field was called “The Lawn” on the Brasier map and the next to the south was called Ald Dykes. Here is a well preserved linear mound and slight traces of an internal ditch. The road between Brigstock and Grafton divides the Great Park from the Little Park. On the east edge of Park Gate Close and Saw Tree Coppice are massive banks. The south-east and south-west limits of the park run along the parish boundaries and border on two other medieval parks, Drayton and Grafton. The western boundary of The Great Park runs north from Old Mead Wood towards Geddington Chase and is marked by a long linear bank and internal ditch with a number of ancient oaks growing on the mound at SP912830.
The Little Park is part of an interesting group of four parks north of Kettering, which includes Grafton Underwood Park and Drayton Old Park, as well as the Great Park. Plan showing all four, Fig.2. All four were carved out of the forest on the edge of cultivated areas surrounding the villages of Brigstock, Sudborough and Grafton Underwood. Their boundaries are for several miles those of the parishes. None are very near to the medieval manors to which they are associated.

{6} Brigstock Little Park. Medieval deer park of c.300 hectares. Formed after and to the south of The Great Park (of 580 hectares). There is no indication of any dividing earthwork bank between the two parks along the Grafton to Brigstock road. The irregular boundary to the north-east suggests that it was emparked after the open fields were enclosed. These are shown as 'old enclosures' on all early maps. The existence of ridge and furrow within the park indicates that much of the area was under plough prior to emparkment. Some of the internal ridge and furrow is probably medieval, although some land was illegally put down to arable in 1643-4.

{8} The boundaries of both Great and Little Parks are recorded in 1728.

{9} The boundaries of both Great and Little Parks are recorded in 1734.

{10} The boundaries of both Great and Little Parks are recorded in 1635.

{13} Catalogue of finds recovered from Brigstock Survey in 1981-4 by Foster, Johnston and Bellamy.

<1> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1974, Archaeology In Northamptonshire 1973, p.103-4 (checked) (Article). SNN9109.

<2> Bellamy B.; Foster P.; Johnston G., 1983, The Royal Deer Parks of Brigstock: an Archaeological Landscape Survey, p.15-19 (unchecked) (Report). SNN43744.

<3> STEANE J., 1974, Survey Report: Some Medieval Parks in Northamptonshire, p.24 (checked) (Newsletter). SNN37717.

<4> STEANE J.M., 1975, The Medieval Parks of Northamptonshire, p.217(Fig.2)+220 (part checked) (Article). SNN37713.

<5> Pettit P.A.J., 1968, The Royal Forests of Northamptonshire: A Study in Their Economy 1558-1714, p.164-182 (unchecked) (Series). SNN42130.

<6> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.21-3 Site 11 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<7> 1603, Extent And Closes From Little Park, Brigstock in 1603, (unchecked) (Map). SNN102454.

<8> Brasier W., 1728, Brigstock Map (NRO Map 3111), (unchecked) (Map). SNN38437.

<9> 1734, Brigstock Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN38438.

<10> 1635, Map of Brigstock Park, (unchecked) (Map). SNN55603.

<11> 1350, Calendar Patent Rolls, 1348-50, p.552 (unchecked) (Document). SNN106407.

<12> Jackson D., 1982, The Royal Deer Parks of Brigstock: an Archaeological Landscape Survey, (unchecked) (Report). SNN55152.

<13> Northamptonshire Heritage, 2001, Brigstock Survey and Other Material: Finds Archive Catalogue, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN106752.

<14> Foard G.; Hall D.;Britnell T., 2004, The Historic Landscape of Rockingham Forest, p.88 (unchecked) (Article). SNN109359.

<15> Unknown, Brigstock Deer Parks: The Medieval Period (Report). SNN70351.

<16> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 186/Monument 11 (Series). SNN77382.

<17> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890528 (Archive). SNN113295.

Record last edited

Feb 3 2025 8:56PM