Monument record 2327 - Drayton Old Park (aka Sudborough Park)

Drayton Old Park C14th deer park

{1} No park is shown in 1791, woods only.

{2}{3}{4} Half a mile to the north of Drayton House and Drayton Park lies the site of the medieval Drayton Old Park. Its origin is in 1328 when Simon de Drayton was given licence by the Crown to “crenellate his dwelling house of Drayton, and to impark 30 acres in the manor of Drayton and to hold the premises in fee simple”. Two early C18th maps in NRO show Drayton Old Park and a circular enclosure within it marked Round Lound Woods. It has been suggested that this may be the original enclosure for the first deer park. Simon subsequently enlarged his park since he was given licence to impark “three plots in Rockingham Forest called Eldesale, Newesale and Lappe, containing 62 acres, and another plot of 20 acres called Wynescross outside the forest, continuous to the said plots. These plots extend from “Plumwell to La Snape and from Gotesle to Lound”. The park was enlarged by 822 acres.

{7} Located in the north-west of the parish on land almost entirely covered by boulder clay. The park extends into the south-west corner of Sudborough parish.
First mentioned in the early C14th when Simon Drayton obtained licence to empark 30 acres of land. Little is known about it except that by 1670 Sudborough Park, so called, was said to comprise 550 acres of land with messuage. In 1771 under the Enclosure Act an allotment for tithes was due from several "ancient inclosures", including Drayton Old Park. The bounds of the later park and those of its predecessor are shown on two C18th maps. Extant
boundary encloses 180 ha (430 acres). In places a bank 5 m. wide and 1 m. high remains: elsewhere only air photographs record the former line. Further banks to the N may be extensions to the park. C18th maps show boundary ditches in and around Round Lown Wood, also recorded on air photographs. These would have enclosed about 10 ha (24 acres) and perhaps form the boundary of the original medieval park. [RCHM plan].

{8} Deer park (centred SP 955815). Further details of the hisotry of the park have now been published.

{12} Round Lown Wood: comprises former coppiced ash with oak standards. Present owner advises that wood formerly managed for pheasants without any significant felling since 1 940s; active woodland management now being undertaken.

{13} A section of linear earthwork recorded by the OS in the miscellaneous notes for this sheet [SP 98 SE (M)(1)] and interpreted as a field boundary is interpreted by Auth {7} as part of the park boundary pale.

[Note 21/05/2008: hitherto unmapped extension southwards is indicated by Map 1403 see p.223 NP&P]

<1> Eyre T. (Revised by Jefferys T.), 1779, Map of the County of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Map). SNN1852.

<2> STEANE J.M., 1975, The Medieval Parks of Northamptonshire, p.221-223 (checked) (Article). SNN37713.

<3> STEANE J., 1974, Survey Report: Some Medieval Parks in Northamptonshire, p.25 (checked) (Newsletter). SNN37717.

<4> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1974, Archaeology In Northamptonshire 1973, p.110 (checked) (Article). SNN9109.

<5> Saxton, 1576, Map of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire & Rutland, (unchecked) (Map). SNN42112.

<6> Speed J., 1610, Map of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Map). SNN559.

<7> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.63/Site 6 (checked) (Series). SNN77379.

<8> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.190/Site 6 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<9> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire- The Borough of Northampton, p.237-247 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100370.

<10> 1700?, Map 1402 (Drayton Old Park?), (unchecked) (Map). SNN106073.

<11> 1700?, Map 1403 (Drayton Old Park?), (unchecked) (Map). SNN106074.

<12> Cadman, G., 2009, Sudborough, Round Lown Wood - Drayton Old Park, (unchecked) (Note). SNN106849.

<13> LEE, E S., 1991, RCHME Recorder, Lee E S, 14-AUG-1991 RCHM Recording (Note). SNN114837.

<14> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, A/P (RAF VAP 540/664, 4005) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<15> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, A/P (RAF VAP F21 82/RAF/865, 0339-41) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<16> Aerial Photograph, A/P (Monks Wood Research Station) (Photographs). SNN112974.

<17> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire I (North-East), 890528: Lowick Sites, Northamptonshire Figure 33 on page 22. Publication proof (Archive). SNN113295.

<18> Historic England, General reference for Historic England Archive, Photograph: BB73/02073: SE CORNER LOOKING SW (Archive). SNN115142.

Record last edited

Jun 8 2023 2:52PM