Monument record MDO6282 - Deer park at Deer Park Farm, Wimborne St Giles

A deer park enclosed by a substantial bank and ditch, the deer park pale, which survives in good condition for most of its length. Inside the pale is a chain of three ponds formed by damming the stream. This park is thought to be the original park of St Giles’s manor.

(Centred SU 050108) A Medieval deer park, probably the original park of St Giles' manor, covers about 110 acres north and east of Deer Park Farm, bounded in places by the remains of a substantial bank and ditch (see annotated plan). Within the park a chain of three ponds now largely dry (Deer Park Ponds, SU 052106), was formed by damming a small stream. Although undated, they appear to be integrated structurally with the park. (See SU 01 SE 72). <1, 4>

SU 054105. An impressive length of deer park boundary bank in Maldry Wood Scheduled. (Length H-K described by Cantor and Wilson). <3, 5>

<1> Cantor, L M, and Wilson, J D, 1968, The Medieval Deer-Parks of Dorset VIII; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 246-8 (Article in serial). SDO13204.

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1969, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1968, 246-248 (Serial). SDO68.

<3> Department of the Environment, Inspector of Ancient Monuments (IAM) Record Form, May 1973 (Scheduling record). SDO17470.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1975, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume V (East), 100 (Monograph). SDO129.

‘(35) DEER PARK AND PONDS, probably the original park of St. Giles’s manor, lie E. of the present park (around 049109). The park covers about 110 acres, N. and E. of Deer Park Farm, and is bounded for the greater part by the remains of a substantial bank and ditch. Within the park a chain of three ponds, now largely dry, was formed by damming a small stream which flows S.; although undated they appear to be integrated structurally with the park. (Dorset Procs., 90 (1968), 246-8.)’

<5> DOE, 1978, Scheduled Monument Notification DOE (IAM) AMs Eng 2 1978, 80 (Scheduling record). SDO17448.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 213647 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 22 2025 12:29PM