Monument record MDO1638 - Marshwood Park

(Centred SY 410973) A medieval deer park at Marshwood, shown as 'Marshwood Parke' on maps by Saxton and
Speed, may have been in existence by AD 1315 when a park at Marshwood is recorded (see alternatively Crekelade Park, SY 39 NE 19). In 1329 ther was a reference to more than one park in Marshwood Vale, and Marshwood Park is mentioned by name in a document of 1460. Further references occur in 1485, 1488, 1547 and 1550, and Leland writes of 'a Park of the Kinges caullid Marsche Woodde'.

By 1583 the park, said to be about 3 miles in circumference, had been disparked and converted to pasture and tillage.

The absence of characteristic earthworks makes the bounds of the park difficult to trace. (For conjectural line of boundary, see plan). <1>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1974, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1973, 76-79 (Serial). SDO73.

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/088 RCHME Inventory: Dorset I (West) and Revision (Unpublished document). SDO17367.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450038 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 16 2022 12:33PM