The Old Deer Park

 

The original park at Englefield (the Old Deer Park - or "Top Park" locally) lies to the north of Englefield House and includes the site of the battle in 870. This park was (and still is) more in the nature of a Medieval hunting forest than the typical 18th century park in the style of the Landscape Movement.

 

From the entrance to the Long Gallery of Englefield House is an avenue running uphill through a wood to a circular point on the edge of a large flat grassed area. Other avenues run in various direction from this circular point.

 

To the north of the grassed area, just beyond the dew pond, the park falls away down a thickly-wooded slope to the River Bourne, which marks the parish boundary. East of the grassy area are also thick woods that are carved into by a steep-sided re-entrant.

 

Along the western edge of the park runs the old Bradfield Road and at the north-east corner is apparently another grassy area and an enclosed field called "Eight Acres". This field is now incorporated into the park.

 

The wooded area in the south-west corner, with its avenues, is now part of the garden of Englefield House (minus the avenues) but otherwise the park remains today much the same as it is shown here.

 

After the old Bradfield Road was closed in 1855 a new coach road was built across the Old Park from Wimbleton's Road to the point where the Bradfield Road joined Common Hill at the Bourne bridge, with a gate and a new lodge.