Monument record MDO2628 - Deer park, Sydling St Nicholas

The eastern section of the medieval park pale of Sydling St Nicholas deer park is visible as banked and ditched earthworks and cropmarks on aerial photogrpahs and was mapped during the Dorset Upper Frome and Sydling Valleys AIM project.

(Centred SY 624980) A probable Medieval deer park at Sydling, covering about 47 acres, is situated 3/4 mile south-south-west of St Nicholas's Church (SY 69 NW 460 and occupies the south part of a combe on the very steep northern face of South Field Hill. No documentary reference to a park here has been discovered but the physical remains and associated names are a strong indication that one existed. (See plans for details). Partly visible on air photographs. (1,2)

The remains of this probable deer-park are generally in poor condition but traceable throughout except between D and F. The pale between 'G' and 'A' (see plan 1) is extant but not visible via 'H' which seems unlikely anyway in view of this.

For textual amendments see revised survey.

Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD. (3)

<1> Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2475 3130-2, RAF CPE/UK/2475 3130-1 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17954.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1966, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1965, 231-233 (Serial). SDO65.

<3> Royal Air Force, 21-OCT-71, RAF/39/3812 V 0212-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17134.

<4> Attrill, N J, Field Investigators Comments NJA, F1 NJA 20-JAN-81 (Unpublished document). SDO14743.

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, RCH01/088 RCHME Inventory: Dorset I (West) and Revision (Index). SDO14738.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 13-APR-84, OS84024/072 V (Aerial Photograph). SDO16876.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 453224 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 12 2022 2:34PM