You may have wondered about the origin and purpose of the earth mound stretching across the the middle of the paddock.
This earthwork is part of The Park Pale, the surviving boundary of a medieval deer park established in the early thirteenth century.
The land formed part of the extensive holdings of Glastonbury Abbey, which owned estates in the Lambourn area and created enclosed parks to manage deer and woodland resources.
It was constructed to form a raised boundary across the landscape and still runs most of the way around the woods. In the medieval period a tall wooden palisade fence stood on top of this bank. The fencing included specially designed openings, known as deer leaps, which allowed deer to enter the enclosure but prevented them from leaving once inside. Deer could be driven into the park from surrounding land, after which the combined height of bank and fencing discouraged escape.
The deer park would have provided venison for the table and served as a visible symbol of status and control over the landscape.
Although the timber fencing has long since disappeared and the centuries have softened its outline, the earth bank remains a clear and tangible reminder of how medieval landowners shaped the Berkshire Downs.
