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Summary

A large park covering 370 acres, which was probably created during the 17th or 18th century. Stone walls survive along the southern and eastern boundaries.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Former Deer Park, created at Creedy Manor in the C17th/C18th, with surviving stone deerpark walls along south and eastern boundaries.
• SHINE: Former Deer Park, created at Creedy Manor in the C17th/C18th, with surviving stone deerpark walls along south and eastern boundaries.

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS80SW/27
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DEER PARK (XVII to XVIII - 1601 AD to 1800 AD (Between))
• LANDSCAPE PARK (XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SS80SW12 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV337927.

Lysons, D. + Lysons, S., 1822, Magna Britannica, 131 (Monograph). SDV323771.

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

'Creedy Park' shown on both the Sandford and Crediton tithe maps. Map object based on this source.

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

In use in 1822 belonging to Sir John Davie and now disparked.

Davidson, J. B., 1882, On Some Further Documents Relating to Credition Minster, 269 (Article in Serial). SDV57916.

Adjoining the road to Creedy Farm, on the right hand side going northwards are the ruined walls of an enclosure, marked on the Ordnance Survey map as the Old Deer Park.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Creedy Park' shown with 'Pounds Hill' in the south of the area (the part shown on the Crediton tithe map). Map object based on this source.

Rose-Troup, F., 1942, Crediton Charters of the Tenth Century, 240 (Article in Serial). SDV38133.

Creedy Park formed about 1770.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 472 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Ordnance Survey, 1972, SS80SW (Cartographic). SDV337926.

The road to the south is shown as 'Stonewall Lane' which may indicate the southern boundary of the deer park.

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

Park created circa 1600 covering 370 acres. In 1797 Polewhele describes a house situated in a large park surrounded by a strong wall. In 18th century the park was converted by Sir John Davie into pasture grounds.

Turton, S. D. + Weddell, P. J., 1993, Archaeological assessment of SWW Crediton area water supply: Stage II, 3 (Report - Assessment). SDV337624.

Old stone walls observed by Davidson still survive along the western boundary, in places repaired with brick, and much overgrown. Stone boundary or enclosure walls also survive along the southern boundary road ('Stonewall Lane'). Road marking the western boundary is cut by the proposed pipeline at SS829011. The eastern boundary, represented by a road to Long Barn and another parallel trackway, cut by proposed pipeline at SS838010.

Clark, J. + Richardson, D., 1999, Creedy Park (Un-published). SDV357663.

Extensive walled nursery garden, with rookery and woodland north of the house and more open parkland to the south.

Devon Gardens Trust, 1999, Devon Local Register, 39 (Un-published). SDV170167.

Wessex Archaeology, 2000, Alexandra Road, Crediton: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV323105.

Exeter Archaeology, 2000, Archaeological Assessment of SWWL Mid Devon Water Mains Rehabilitation Schemes (Overall Route), 10 (Report - Assessment). SDV321183.

Exeter Archaeology, 2006, Archaeological assessment of a proposed college site to the east of Exhibition Road, Crediton, 8 (Report - Assessment). SDV337881.

The park is assumed to have been for ornamental use rather than a deer park as the deer park belonging to the Bishop was situated to the south of Crediton town.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Map object based on this source.

Clark, J. + Richardson, D., 2013, Creedy Park (Un-published). SDV356217.

The mansion was built in 1846 by William Burn for Colonel HR Ferguson-Davie, but was destroyed by fire in 1915 and rebuilt in 1916-21 for Arthur Ferguson-Davie. Polwhele noted in 1793 that it ‘is delightfully situated in a large park which is surrounded by a strong wall.’ Three years later Revd John Swete visited Creedy and wrote that ‘The situation at Creedy is fine, surrounded by what was a park, but what had been converted by the late baronet, who was a great practical agriculturist, into pasture grounds. The whole consisting of (blank) acres he had surrounded by a wall at a vast expense, which rendering the grounds more compact and less liable to being trespassed on did not add to the picturesque; there was not much variety in the disposition of the lawn, and though there was a good deal of timber wood and many clumps dispersed about it, yet there was something in the general appearance, which betrayed neglect or inattention which is not usually met with around seats of similar consequence.’ White (1850) noted that it was ‘delightfully situated on the west bank of the River Creedy . . . The mansion, built by the first baronet, has been frequently altered, and has still a modern appearance’ while Stockdale described it as ‘a handsome spacious mansion very delightfully situated on a gentle eminence, in an extensive park about 3 miles in circumference’

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

Historic England, 2016, Creedy Park and Creedy House, Crediton (Correspondence). SDV359763.

Assessment to determine if Creedy Park should be added to the Register of Parks and Gardens has been withdrawn.

Historic England, 2016, Creedy Park, Crediton (Correspondence). SDV359762.

Creedy Park to be assessed for addition to the Register of Parks and Gardens.

Historic England, 2019, Creedy Park, Sandford, Crediton, Devon, EX17 4EB (Reg/Local list of Historic Parks and Gdns). SDV363014.

Notification that Historic England has received an application to add the park to the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. As a result of this, they will also be considering the principal house for listing.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4176 - College Site to the east of Exhibition Road in Crediton

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