Monument record 4801 - Old Park (Possible Medieval/Post Medieval Deer Park)

Area known as 'Old Park' on C18 map. Probably associated with Grafton House. The park boundary of c1720 was located during piepline works in 1979.

{1} A medieval deer park is said to lie within the post medieval deer park, though where is unknown and this location would have made it a very small park. The area contains ridge and furrow. An earthwork noted from air photos of a bank is possibly the medieval/post medieval boundary of the park. It runs from SP76004660 to SP76404670. Partial plan prepared.

{2} Possibly represents the medieval deer park of Grafton Regis.

{3} Fieldname: Old Park.

{4} The park was already called 'Old' in 1725.

{6} In the grass field (marked 'p' on plan), is a set of very regularly set out and shallow fishponds fed by a stream following the line of a hollow way. This was not always the case, since the hedge along the hollow way was not marked on the early parish map (1726?) and the two modern fields then formed a single large one called Old Park, this name suggecting an amenity area belonging to Grafton House, which lay directly opposite.It is of interest to note that when Henry VIII stayed at Grafton he is documented as fishing there. The adjective 'old' might suggest that the earthwork warren had perhaps been replaced by the walled one by the time the map had been made.

{8} Two very wide possible ditches were sectioned well to the rear of the house sites fronting onto the hollow way. One of these may have been the ditch of part of the deer park boundary shown on a map of 1720.

<1> FOARD G.R., 1980, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Oral Report). SNN51172.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.63/Site 8 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<3> c.1700?, Grafton Regis Map (Undated), (unchecked) (Map). SNN108119.

<4> 1725, Grafton Regis Enclosure Map (NRO Map 463), (unchecked) (Map). SNN19182.

<5> 1726, Map of Grafton Regis (NRO Map 457?), (unchecked) (Map). SNN108453.

<6> BROWN A.E., 1985, Field Survey at Grafton Regis, p.2-3 (checked) (Report). SNN1787.

<7> Hall D., 2001, The Woodland Landscapes of Southern Northamptonshire, p.33-46 (unchecked) (Article). SNN102520.

<8> Hall D. (Editor), 1980, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (10), p.32 (checked) (Journal). SNN22466.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:44PM