Site of Henley Little Park

Description of this historic site

The site of Medieval deer park, where deer were kept for hunting. It was situated near Henley in Arden.

Notes about this historic site

1 A park known as ‘Henley Little Park’ surrounded Beaudesert Castle and extended N to Buckley Green. It was mentioned in 1326 and again in 1411. A moor within the park was mentioned in 1444. It was for a long period empaled for deer, but in 1487 its herbage was retained in the King’s hands for the support of his stud. On a survey of 1608 it is clear the 83 ha of Little Park was fenced with spikes and ditches if not technically impaled.
2 It was disparked c1547.
3 Its boundary is marked by modern hedgerows and, on the W, the river. No traces of a Medieval pale are apparent.
4 One of two parks probably occupying the ancient ‘Hay’ at Donnelie which is mentioned in Domesday (this is equated with Beaudesert by Dugdale). Not shown on Saxton’s map.
5 Portable Antiquities Scheme find provenance information:
Date found: 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z
Date found (2): 2006-02-01T00:00:00Z
Methods of discovery: Metal detector

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