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Summary

A medieval deer park at Dunster Castle. It was documented in 1279 and disparked during the early 18th Century and became part of the landscape gardens. Part of the boundary wall survives behind houses in High Street.

Monument Type(s):

• DEER PARK (Medieval to AD 18th Century - 1066 AD? to 1755 AD)
• LANDSCAPE PARK (AD 18th Century to Modern - 1755 AD to 2050 AD)

Description

[SS 9945 4380] Old Park [NAT] [1]

Described in 1279 as the "small park" and in 1330 as the "Hanger", a name which it bore until 1752 or later. Hanger Park, supporting about 50 deer was close to the gardens of the houses on the east side of the High Street and separated from them by a wooden pale afterwards replaced by a stone wall. One acre of it was occupied by a fishpond. It is not known when it was converted to pasture but by the first half of the 18th century it was known not to have contained deer. A new park (MSO9088) was created in 1755 which lay to the south of the medieval park and on higher ground. [2]

The only part of the park wall that now survives is behind the houses in High Street (from SS 9920
4386 to SS 9921 4363). The rest of its boundary is now undefined and does not seem to be shown on any map. The fishpond cannot be traced. [3]

Additional bibliography. [4,5]

The Old Park, covers an area of 50 hectares, and comprises of The Lawns and Plantations, Registered Park and Garden grade I. [6]

The southeastern area of the park is labelled The Lawns on the 25 inch 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map. [7]

This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [12]

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1962, 6 Inch Map: 1962 (Map). SEM7220.

<2> Maxwell-Lyte, H.C., 1909, A History of Dunster and of the Families of Mohun & Luttrell, 160, 342-5 (Monograph). SSO1299.

<3> PITCHER, GHP, Field Investigators Comments, Ordnance Survey visit, F1, 10 June 1965 (Unpublished document). SMO7319.

<4> Evelyn Philip Shirley, 1867, Some account of English deer parks with notes on the management of deer , p 97 (Monograph). SMO5788.

<5> Dixon, J., 1980, Somerset Parish Survey 3: Carhampton, p 7 (Article in serial). SSO1043.

<6> English Heritage, 1984-, Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Somerset Vol No. - Part 37 (Monograph). SMO5286.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1868-1901, County Series; 1st Edition 25 Inch Map (Map). SEM6703.

<8> Felus, K. + Phibbs, J., 2004, Dunster Castle, Somerset: A Survey of the Historic Landscape. Volume I: Development and Analysis (Report). SEM7394.

<9> Felus, K. + Phibbs, J., 2004, Dunster Castle, Somerset: A Survey of the Historic Landscape. Volume II: Historic Sources and Fieldwork and Other Background Material (Report). SEM7395.

<10> Colson Stone, 2011, Dunster Deer Park: Outline landscape and archaeological evaluation (Report). SEM7865.

<11> Gunter, J., 2011, Dunster Castle Storm Water Drain Watching Brief (Report). SEM340861.

<12> Historic England, Various, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry, 36914, Extant 12 October 2021 (Digital archive). SEM7987.

Sources and Further Reading

Related records

Other References

• Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO11231
• Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO9421
• Local List Status (Unassessed)
• National Monuments Record reference: SS 94 SE23
• NRHE HOB UID (Pastscape): 36914
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)
• Somerset SMR PRN (Somerset): 33568

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