Monument record 2004 - Medieval Deer Park (& Other Animal Husbandry), Overstone

Overstone Park originated in 1255. The precise location of the park is not known. Disparked by 1550.

{1} Medieval deer park. 1255 onwards. Gilbert de Mullers was granted licence to impark.

{2} Towards the end of the Middle Ages the keepership of parks was often granted by the crown in return for services rendered. Edward Vavasour and Thomas Rouse were made keepers of the park of Overston "in consideration of their services to the King's grandmother" (ie. Henry VIII's).
John Waryn of Yardley, canon of Ravenstone Priory (Bucks), was a hunting eccleciastic. He was indicted before Henry Green and other justices of having broken the park of Walter de Manny at Overston. His operations were on a large scale. He was accused of hunting therein and of having taken 30 bucks and 20 does with nets and engines and carried them away, and of having fished in the free fishery of Walter and carried away fish. He confessed, was imprisoned but was subsequently pardoned.
Gilbert de Millars was granted the right in 1255 to enclose his wood of Oviston and make a park. His park was stocked with deer, ten live does were given. The park was in the C14th in the hands of Walter de Manny when it was broken into. It was in the hands of Edward Vavasour who was appointed keeper of the park and warren in Henry VIII's reign. The boundaries were much altered when it was enlarged in the C19th.

{3} Gilbert de Millers was given licence to inclose his wood at Overstone and convert it to a park in the 39th year of reign of Henry III (1255). In the 3rd year of the reign of Henry VIII (1512) there are records of a keeper of the park and warren being appointed.

{7} Overstone Park originated in 1255 in a licence to the then owner, Gilbert de Millers, “to enclose with a dike and hedge or with a wall, his wood of Oviston and to make a park thereof”. It was stocked with animals from Salcey Forest. Occasional references to poaching show its continued existence in the medieval period; Henry VIII used the keepership of the park as a way of rewarding crown servants. Where the original medieval deer park was is not known for certain, but a clue may be provided by the map of Overstone of 1832 which shows the area around SP812666 as Ass Park (shown on Fig.7). By 1550 the park had been disparked and this area is marked on the map of c.1672 as part of the Cow Pasture, but documents continue to speak of the herbage and agistment of the park.

{?} Fieldnames: Ass Bank and Highlands.

<1> BURT J., NOTE, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN47811.

<2> STEANE J.M., 1975, The Medieval Parks of Northamptonshire, p.216+229 (Article). SNN37713.

<3> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<4> 1358-61, Calendar of Patent Rolls (1358-61), p.51 (unchecked) (Document). SNN109663.

<5> 1509, Letters & Papers of Henry VIII (LPFD 1-30, Vol.1), Part 1 p.453 (unchecked) (Document). SNN109662.

<6> 1671 (circa), Map of Overstone (NRO Map 564), (unchecked) (Map). SNN75714.

<7> Brown A.E.; Taylor C.C., 1975, Four Deserted Settlements in Northamptonshire, p.195-6 (checked) (Article). SNN75848.

Record last edited

Dec 7 2020 3:36PM