Monument record 4759 - Paulerspury Park

Deer park, possibly C14th origin (site)

{1}19th year of reign of Richard II - 2 parks in Paulerspury - Old and New Park. 11th year of Henry VI - Sir John de St John - licence from Crown to combine to one and add 200 acres of field and wood.

{2} A small park of only 17 acres was created in 1363 by John de Pavely and this seems to be the origin of this. In 1410 John St. John had two parks ‘called the Oldeparke and New Parke which the said John has a field called Farmsted and 100 acres of land and a wood adjoining the said field . . . Containing 100 acres of land’. St. John was licensed to enclose the two parks, the field and the wood and make a new deer park. This conversion of apparent arable land into a deer park is of interest, for much ridge-and-furrow is traceable within the park today. In 1541 the park was alienated to the Crown and it was disafforested in 1639. The exact location of the two pre-1410 parks is unknown, but the boundaries of the later one are clear.

{4} In 1363 John de Pavely was allowed to convert his woods called Ottewood and Farnsted, containing 17 acres into a park. In 1410 John St. John, knight, was said to have two parks in Paulerspury “called the Oldeparke and the New Parks between which the said John has a field called Framsted and 100 acres of land and a wood adjoining the said field and Oldeparke called Esthulla nd Outewodes containing 100 acres of land”. He was allowed to enclose the two parks, the field and the wood and make them into a deer park. In 1541 it was alienated to the Crown. Ten years later it was granted in soccage with free warren to Sir Nicholas Throgmorton. In 1639 Lady Mary Woolton paid £100 for its disafforestation, and in 1673 the park still contained 77 acres of woodland and 5 closes of pasture reserved for deer. The remaining pasture had been divided into closes and leased at annual rents to local farmers.

{5} Medieval deer park, made in 1409 from 2 earlier parks (Old Park and New Park), a wood and 200 acres of field. The wood is possibly the area on the pre-inclosure map where there is no ridge and furrow evidence.

<1> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.117/Site 20 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> Baker G., 1830, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.204 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77328.

<4> STEANE J.M., 1975, The Medieval Parks of Northamptonshire, p.229-304 (checked) (Article). SNN37713.

<5> HALL D.N., 1973, Paulerspury survey 1973, 3/67-8 (checked) (Article). SNN77045.

<6> 1974, Medieval Archaeology (18), 18/218 (checked) (Journal). SNN37093.

<7> 1314-1414, CALENDAR OF CHARTER ROLLS, 442 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN46844.

<8> Pettit P.A.J., 1968, The Royal Forests of Northamptonshire: A Study in Their Economy 1558-1714, 14+90+192 (unchecked) (Series). SNN42130.

<9> Hall D., 2001, The Woodland Landscapes of Southern Northamptonshire, p.33-46 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102520.

<10> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 5236-9 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<11> 1974, Milton Keynes Journal of Archaeology and History, P. 67-68 (Journal). SNN105608.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:43PM