Surveying the pale, in the rain

Last Sunday we carried out our first fieldwork on the deer park at Leagram, with a training day led by Dave and Rebecca from English Heritage who showed us how to carry out earthwork surveys, the old fashioned way. No GPS for us (there's no satellite reception at Leagram!) so we turned back the clock and used poles, tapes, drawing tables and a dumpy level. The only nod to the 21st century was the wonderful invention of waterproof film - which was a lifesaver as the weather was wet, very very very wet!

We hope to carry out some more survey work soon, so please get in touch if you are interested in joining us (whatever the weather).

The afternoon training session: drawing a cross section of the bank and ditch

Inspecting the site on a drier day: the ditch and bank, the line of the pale, is quite clear on this section of the deer park boundary near to Windy Hills

Weld paintings bring the park to life

Last month I mentioned that we had been to view some paintings of Leagram by John Weld, owner of the estate from 1866-88. We are now able to reproduce a few copies here, with thanks to The Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Preston. We hope to be able to exhibit these at an open day this Autumn, and to use some of the other paintings in our forthcoming interpretation materials

These two images are of Birchen Lee farm (above) and Loud Mythom

Most of the images show views which are surprisingly unchanged in the last 170 years. Many of the Leagram farm houses were re built at around this time, after a 'hurricane' destroyed many of the then thatched roofs. These 'new' farms still bear the initials GW or JW after the father and son George and John Weld.

Portrait

Here is Sir Richard - with kind permission of the Governors of Stonyhurst College

My apologies, it appears that Sir Richard was only married the once, to Maud Bold; wheras his son, plain Richard Shireburn (died 1629) had the three wives - Katheirne Stourton, Ann Hoghton and Ann Holden - one at a time ofcourse!

Rascally Sir Richard

Today I have been to visit Stonyhurst College to help photograph the portraits they have there of the Shireburn family. Sir Richard Shireburne (or Sherburne, as they spelt it then) purchased Leagram deer park in 1563, soon after it was 'disparked' and so he was an influential person in the subsequent development of the area.

Sir Richard was a rascally fellow, having had 3 wives in succession, and fathering several children both in and out of wedlock. He was also a known Catholic who managed to serve a total of 4 monarchs of varyious religious allegiance. His portrait appears wise and serene: so he was a clever man too!


Sir Richard began the improvements to the original medieval Stonyhurst manor which eventually became the grand house it is today, and he built the old Hodder Bridge nearby. He also founded a long line of Richard Shireburnes who ran the estate until Sir Nicholas Shireburne took it on in 1690. He and his wealthy wife Catherine carried out expensive renovations of the house and gardens, but sadly they had no heir and eventually Stonyhurst and the deer park at Leagram was passed to their distant relations the Weld family of Lulworth. It was the Welds who gave Stonyhurst to the college that runs the place today: it's open to the public during the summer school holidays and the house and gardens are well worth a visit. The Weld family still own the estate that once included the deer park, and reside at Leagram Hall: they are supporting the Leap in the Park project.

Sir Richard and some of his descendants will appear in our soon to be published report - so look out for his portrait! Thanks to Graham Cooper for arranging the visit and the photography today.