Reference
R6/1/1/13
Title
Survey of Ampthill Great Park
Date free text
Dec 1649
Production date
From: 1649 To: 1649
Scope and Content
(a) impaled ground known as Ampthill Great Park in parishes of Ampthill, Millbrook and Houghton Conquest bounded by Ampthill Warren to S and SE and Millbrook fields to N and NW, by highway from Ampthill to Millbrook and Houghton Conquest fields on N, by highway from Ampthill to Houghton Conquest and by Houghton Park on E and SE; contained 650a 1r;
(b) great lodge in the middle of the park in Ampthill consisting of a substantial brick building 22 inches thick, 69ft long 49.5ft wide and 21ft high, the roof of very good timber substantially tiled carrying five fair brick chimneystacks and containing: a hall 26ft long and 14ft wide; a fair porch 10ft 8.5in high entering the hall; two parlours at each end of the hall, one wholly wainscotted, the other half wainscotted each 19ft square; four other lodging chambers; one pantry and necessary closets downstairs; a fair large staircase on joinery work leading up to a fair dining chamber situate over the hall 26ft long and 14ft wide with a cant over the porch equal in height, the dining room being wholly wainscotted; six other fair chambers, one wholly and one half wainscotted with convenient closets; brick cellar under east end of house 36ft long by 15 ft wide. Another substantial house lay on N side, the groundsills and studs with wall plates and overthwarts of good timber wrought up with brick about 40ft long and 30ft wide, two storeys high and containing very substantial offices, i.e. two kitchens, washhouse, bakehouse, buttery and other small rooms downstairs with conventional lodging rooms for servants above; a small brewhouse lay distant from the building on S side; brick stable and hay loft 3ft long and 20ft broad; granary and small hay barn. The great lodge lay "on a very pleasant hillhaving a delectable prospect over the park and country, the front whereof to southwards is beautified with convenient courtyards and a garden or young orchard on the west end thereof"; site measured 1.5 acres;
(c) new brick building called The Stand on chief hill near Ampthill Warren to S for viewing game being 15ft square and 20ft high consisting of a lower room and upper room; the site containing 4 poles;
(d) small lodge for the underkeeper or warrener on wayside from Ampthill gate to (b) with Ampthill Great Park to W, consisting of two rooms downstairs and two upstairs with a small orchard, the site containing 40 poles;
(e) two small hay barns standing in two distinct places holding fodder for deer or cattle;
note that (b)-(e) were in very good repair, "not fit to be demolished";
(f) 76 fallow deer in the park;
(g) 2,000 trees in the park not marked for use by the navy, mostly old doterells and decayed trees "good for little save the fire";
(h) the park was stocked with conies in a warren;
(i) 392 acres lay in Ampthill, 188 acres in Millbrook and 70 acres in Houghton Conquest; 200 of which were mowing ground and pasture, 200 warren and the rest pasture;
(j) the park was tythe free;
(k) no franchise claimed beyond the pale nor any commonage;
(l) Thomas, Earl of Elgin claimed the park by letters patent from James I of 18 Feb 1613 to Edward, Lord Bruce, Sir William Cavendish, late Earl of Devon and Thomas, Lord Bruce, now Earl of Elgin and by letters patent of Charles I of 24 Feb 1640 to Earl of Bedford and Lord Andover in trust for Robert, Lord Bruce;
(m) Margaret Nicholls, widow, was underkeeper;
(n) 400 trees were reserved for navy use
Surveyed by Thomas Fowle, John Ward, Walter Blyth and S.Fine, examined by William Webb; wrapped in an old deed referring to Sir William Howard, Sir John Talbot, Sir Charles Harbord, Francis, Lord Hawley, John Lindsey and William Harbord
Level of description
item