Monument record MDO48244 - Medieval deer park, Thornford

A group of fields with names such as 'Great Park' and 'Park Mead' suggest that there may have been a deer park at Thornford. No evidence to support this has been found in historic documents or on the ground.

Wilson, J D, 1979, Medieval Deer Parks of Dorset XVII. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 10 (Article in serial). SDO20707.

‘THORNFORD (P32) The village of Thornford lies some three miles south west of Sherborne. From the village two lanes, Blacksmith’s Lane to the north and Horsepool Lane to the south, run south-eastwards up on to the slopes of Lillington and Knighton hills. Between these lanes, and closer to the crest of the escarpment than to the village, are a group of nine fields with names such as “Great Park” and “Park Mead”. Though no reference has been found to a park at Thornford, this exceptional group of field names strongly suggested that a park had existed there, but detailed as amination of the area revealed no trace of characteristic earthworks. Topographically the site appeared a promising one, especially since the parish boundary between Thornford and Beer Hackett follows Horsepool Lane for a short distance and then continues its line up on to Knighton Hill, where it meets the boundary of Lillington parish running along the very edge of the scarp north-eastwards. These boundaries however are not noticeably embanked, nor can any noteworthy embankment be found along either of the two lanes. It therefore appears unlikely that there was an embanked park at Thornford, though the striking group of field names make it difficult to dismiss the site completely.’

Record last edited

Jul 26 2024 7:11PM