Monument record MDO1102 - Deer park, East Chelborough

A possible deer park identified by J D Wilson on the basis of field and woodland names in the vicinity, and proximity to the medieval castle. Wilson subsequently made a site vist and found no eathworks characteristic of a deer park, but noted that the general topograph was nevertheless suitable.

'East Chelborough (P. 22).

The hamlet of East Chelborough lies on the by-road from Benville Bridge to Closworth; on the east side of this road, north-east of Chelborough Castle and Manor Farm, lies a group of four 'park' fields, together with 'Higher Park Plantation' and 'Higher & Lower Park Coppices'. No documentary evidence for the existence of a park here has been found, but the existence of Chelborough Castle, which the RCHME describe as 'probably a mediaeval castle-site', together with what is taken to be an earlier castle site east of the road (I, p.90), seemed to justify the inclusion of East Chelborough in the list of possible parks.

However, no characteristic earthworks could be found anywhere in the area. The land here slopes down from the road eastwards to the boundary between East Chelborough and Melbury Sampford. This parish boundary runs roughly north-south some twenty-five yards east of a little stream which rises in the high ground west of Evershot and flows northwards to join the Yeo south of Yeovil. The boundary is not noticeably embanked, nor, to repeat, could embankments of any convincing line for a park boundary be found elsewhere in the area. The existence of a park here must therefore be regarded as problematical, though it seems quite possible form a topographical and historical point of view.' {1}

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1980, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1977, 1-9 (Serial). SDO77.

Record last edited

Aug 16 2012 5:27PM