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Summary

Site of medieval deer park, one of the largest in the county

Monument Types

• DEER PARK (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

First documented evidence of a deer park, 1360; and shown on Saxton's map <1>.
The manorial accounts refer to the deer park in 1324-5; it may have been created by Robert, Lord Morley, in the early 14th century. The park 'was bounded on three sides by the parish boundary', on high ground between the Beane and the Old Bourne <2>. At about 400 acres, this was one of the largest deer parks in the county; the manorial centre was at what is now Walkern Bury Farm, and was not within the park. The park lodge [16424] is documented from 1428-9, at Walkern Park Farm [11166]; this is the highest point within the park. In 1506 the manor of Walkern including the park was sold to Sir William Capel, a London merchant. It descended through the Capel family (who became the earls of Essex) for the next four centuries. 'it seems likely that Walkern was disparked in the mid 17th century' and leased as farmland. Some of the park boundary survives as earthworks, especially along the joint boundary with Benington <2>.

<1> Rowe, Anne, 1999, The protected valley: a history of Little Munden (Bibliographic reference). SHT565.

<2> Rowe, Anne, 2009, Medieval parks of Hertfordshire, - p218-212; Map 60 (Bibliographic reference). SHT6026.

Sources and further reading

Related records

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