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By Richard Prior
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Q)I am writing an article on Norden’s Survey of Henley Park, 1607. He writes as follows: The park hath about 120 deer; of antler about 70, of bucks (as informed) about 40, very many in respect of the general sum. I don’t understand the distinction or whether there were any females. I would appreciate advice. P. ASHWORTH By email
A)The earliest reference I have to Henley Park is in Shirley’s Deer & Parks, 1867. This refers to Henley Park lying a little north west of Guildford in the parish of Ash. Is this the correct park? It was more than 300 acres when imparked in the 11th year of the reign of Edward III. Shortly after your survey, in 1633, it was sold to the Crown with a licence to dispark or assart the land (i.e. plough up or otherwise turn into farmland). I think Norden’s account is reasonably clear. Of the 120 deer, presumably fallow, there were 70 males (and 50 females). Of the males, about 40 were mature which, as he writes, is too many in relation to the females. Park owners liked to show many antlered deer, but this proportion would have led to fighting and a general imbalance in age, class and sex ratios. You may, in the same context, come across the term “rascall”. In hunting terms a stag was only “warrantable” or huntable at six years of age. Before that it would have been termed a rascall.
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