Monument record 2858 - Wothorpe Groves Medieval Deer Park (aka La Lounde, Le Grave)

Medieval deer park remains

{1} A grant was made in 1229 to Alan de Lindon to enclose his wood called La Lounde in Easton, containing 8 acres and lying between his manor of Eaton and the king's highway to Stamford, and make it a park.

{3} In the middle of the reign of Edward III the park is called Le Grave and Easton is said to have suffered form a great deal of mortality during the pestilence.

{4} Deer Park covering nearly 17ha of woodland, known as Wothorpe Groves. The park was formed in 1229 when Alan Lindon obtained Royal Licence to enclose his wood called La Loude and to make a park. It is mentioned in 1298 and again in the middle of the C14th. It was called Le Grave or Graves but nothing is known of its subsequent history. The area is shown as an old enclosure on the Enclosure map of 1820. Bank up to 10m wide by 1m high on all but S. part of SE. boundary. Damaged on W. side by road works. Relatively recent wall (remains) exist along most of circuit including the gap where no bank exists on SE. boundary. No original entrances visible.

{5} The name of the wood means "the wood".

{6} Simon de Lindon settled the manor, the park and the wood within Cliffe Forest on Edward I's Queen Eleanor.

{7} At the death of John, Earl of Kent, the extent of Easton includes the park containing 30 acres of wood, a wood called Le Cranes and a wood called Heywood within the forest of Clyve.

<1> STEANE J.M., 1975, The Medieval Parks of Northamptonshire, p.221 (checked) (Article). SNN37713.

<2> 1820, Easton on the Hill Inclosure Map 15 (NRO Map 2895; BEO M399), (unchecked) (Map). SNN102482.

<3> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.566 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.37 Site 3 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<5> Gover J.E.B.; Mawer A.; Stenton F.M. (Eds.), 1933, The Place-names of Northamptonshire, p.288 (unchecked) (Series). SNN5881.

<6> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.443 (unchecked0 (Book). SNN77326.

<7> 1337, Inquisitions Post Mortem, (unchecked) (Document). SNN109096.

<8> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890526 (Archive). SNN113295.

Record last edited

Feb 7 2025 2:34PM