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Summary

Deerpark constructed by the Strode family circa 1700 to complement their new mansion at Newnham Park. Deerpark survives as an earthwork pale enclosing an area of about 174 acres.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1107439: KEEPERS' COTTAGE
• Scheduled Monument 1020169: Deer park and rabbit warren at Newnham Park

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NE/74
• Old SAM Ref: 34874(PART)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DEER PARK (XVII to XVIII - 1700 AD to 1800 AD)

Full description

Shirley, E. P., 1867, Some Account of English Deerparks, 91 (Monograph). SDV314505.

Still extant in 1822 and 1867.

Edwards, 1979, Hemerdon Survey, 11 (Report - Survey). SDV342252.

Newnham Deerpark dates from 1700.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX55NE15 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV361893.

Deer Park. (OS 6" 1968)

Newnham Park deerpark dates from 1700 when a licence was granted by the Crown to George Parker Esq. "to inclose for a Deer Park 250 acres of land in the Parish of Plympton St. Mary." (Devon Committee for Rescue Archaeology, August 1979, 11, Edwards, C.)

Whitaker states the area to be 174 acres and gives the boundary as "Fence, three-fourths stone wall, remainder wire fence." (Deer Parks and Paddocks of England 1892, 46, Whitaker, J.)

Whitaker, J., 1982, Untitled Source, 46 (Monograph). SDV7428.

the deerpark covers an area of 174 acres, the surrounding fence is three quarters, the remainder wire fence.

Gallant, L., 1986, Deer Parks and Paddocks of England (Un-published). SDV656.

Turton, S. D. + Weddell, P. J., 1989, An Archaeological Assessment of the South Devon Spine Main (Roborough to Littlehempston), 5 (Report - Assessment). SDV138026.

Goodyear, R.I. (AFU), 1990, Newnham Deerpark (Worksheet). SDV342253.

Park created circa 1700. It is 174 acres in extent and was enclosed by a stone wall (the boundary will be breached at SX55025888 (west) and SX55835855 (east) by a pipeline). Earlier field systems and banks lie within the park.

Reed, S. J., 1991, Archaeological Recording on the SWW South Devon Spine Main (Roborough to Littlehempston), 3 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV163500.

Devon Gardens Trust, 1999, Devon Local Register, 103 (Un-published). SDV170167.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2001, Deer Park and Rabbit Warren (Schedule Document). SDV342254.

Post-medieval deer park and associated rabbit warren. The park was constructed by the Strode family to complement their new mansion at Newnham Park in about 1700. The deer park survives as an earthwork park pale enclosing an area 955 metres from east to west and 1520 metres from north to south. The pale takes the form of a large earth bank measuring between 2.5 metres and 5 metres wide, with a stone rubble inner face from 1.3 metres to 2.5 metres high, capped with horizontal slate slabs, falling to an inner ditch between 2.5 metres and 5 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep. This construction varies, with the bank and ditch larger, and a wide outer ditch, where the pale crosses the floor of the Tory Brook valley at its north end, while the stone type and technique of construction of the wall varies from large granite boulders at the northwest end, to small slate rubble laid vertically on the east and west sides, and river boulders towards the south. A small quarry which cuts into the park pale's outer ditch at SX55415909 is included in the scheduling. Several gates in the pale have heavy mortared stone piers with convex faces, 2 metres high, often with stops for outward opening gates. An arch 4 metres wide took the pale over the Tory Brook at the north end of the park, with dressed granite quoins 1.2 metres wide, while two leats serving ornamental ponds in the garden of Newnham Park House, and feeding Loughtor Corn Mill south of the park, pass through stone-lined culverts in the park pale at two locations. These measure 1 metre wide and 0.5 metres high with roofs formed with granite slabs. The leats survive as earthworks 2 metres wide and 1.3 metres deep, with banks 2 metres wide and 1.5 metres high on their downhill sides. The lower leat, of mid 19th century date, is lined with stone for part of its course. In the valley of the Tory Trook, the ditches of the park pale cut across the dumps and channels of medieval tin streamworking debris, while a leat which runs close to the park pale on its east side served Wheal Mace, a 19th century tin mine, whose workings lie within the park to the west. This leat is 1.5 metres wide and 0.6 metres deep with a bank 1.5 metres wide, 0.5 metres high on its downhill side. All modern track surfacings and fence posts are excluded from scheduling, although ground beneath is included.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2004 - 2005, Scheduled Monument Consent Letter (Correspondence). SDV342255.

Scheduled monument consent granted for works concerning fencing works.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2009, Scheduled Monument Consent Letter (Correspondence). SDV342244.

Scheduled monument consent granted, subject to conditions, in respect of proposed works concerning accession of the proposed pipeline works through an existing access gate.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 107 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Generally satisfactory
but with significant localised problems. Principal vulnerability deterioration; in need of management.

Devon Gardens Trust, 2013, Devon Gazetteer of Parks and Gardens of Local Interest (Reg/Local list of Historic Parks and Gdns). SDV354335.

Clark, J., 2013, Newnham Park (Un-published). SDV358023.

In the early 19th century the park was described as being well stocked with deer.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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