J. E. nAETING — HEETFOimSHIRE DEER-PAKKS. 109 



Benington, already noticed, and marked as a park by Saxton. No 

 mention, however, of any park here is made by Chauncy, so that 

 it was doiibtk^ss disparkcd b(>f()ro liis day. The Eai'l of Essex is 

 lord of the manor. Walkeru Park farm-house to this day is 

 moated, and, some years ago, when it was found necessary to 

 dredge the moat, a vast number of anthers were brought up, thus 

 testifying to the former proximity of the old deer-park. There 

 is a remarkable hollow oak here thirty-four feet in circumference, 

 and capable of holding a good number of people. 



If we may rely upon the figui'es of deer as indicating the 

 former existence of a deer-park, there was one, according to 

 Chauncy, at Offley Place,* the seat of Sir John Spencer, Bart., 

 and another at 



SxAGExnoE,! the property of Sir John Austen. Chauncy figures 

 the manor-house, with a stag- hunt in the park. 



A third was at Aspenden IIall,| two miles east of "Wakeley, 

 the seat of Ealph Freeman, Esq., D.L. and J. P. for the county. 



Proceeding westward we come to Berkhampstead,§ where there 

 was an ancient royal park attached to the castle ia the time of 

 Edward the First, but long since disparked. 



A little to the north-west lay Pei^ley or Pendley Park, || 

 inclosed in the reign of Henry the Sixth, but disparked before 

 Chauncy's time, 



At King's Langley,^ a little to the north of Watford, a royal 

 seat was founded by Henry the Third. The Home Park here was 

 granted by Edward the Sixth to the Prior of Langley. After the 

 Dissolution it reverted to the Crown, and in 1626 " King's Langley 

 Park and all the deer, marsh, grass, wood, and all trees whatsoever," 

 were leased to Sir Charles Morrison for ninety-nine years, and soon 

 afterwards passed entirely from the Crown. 



In the south-central district on Saxton's map Ave find — 

 Brocket Hall,** to the west of Woodhall, now the seat of the 

 Hon. Henry F. Cowper, M.P. 



TiTTEXHANGER,ff south of Hatfield, formerly an ancient deer-park 

 of the Abbots of St. Albans. It was disparked at the Dissolution of 

 the Alonasteries by Henry the Eighth, who granted the manor and 

 estate of Tittenhanger to Sir Thomas Pope, from whom it has 

 descended in a direct line to the present owner, Jane, Countess 

 of Caledon, who is lady of the manor. 



And Shenley,J:|: south of Tittenhanger, not marked as a park by 

 Norden in 1596. 



lacorum,' p. 48. 

 ^'acorum,' p. 17. 

 Dacoruiii,'p. 192. 



