Monument record 1264/2/0 - High Legh Park

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 101/97-138 Richards R 1949 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

Park at High Legh, probably associated with both East and West Halls, which were situated close together (1264/1/1 and 1264/1/2)

<2> Chester Archaeology, 1993, High Legh Golf Course: Desk Based Assessment, R2050 (Client Report). SCH1344.

A desk-based assessment undertaken in 1993 in advance of the development of a golf course at High Legh identified that the medieval and modern High Legh Park may have its origins in the Saxon period. The Domesday book refers to a 'haia' or 'haeg' in High Legh. 'Haegas' were enclosures and it has been suggested that they were for controlling deer prior to hunting, and possibly as breeding grounds. It is possible that High Legh Park is this 'haeg'. There are only approximately 35 examples in England of similar sites. Documentary evidence shows that the medieval deer park was established by the late 13th century. There is little or no trace of the bank and ditch that would have enclosed the medieval park, although the occurrence of the word 'Ranstave' in some field names documented in the Tithe Awards for the area is interesting. 'Ranstave' may derive from an Old English word 'Randstaef' meaning something like 'stave boundary', perhaps describing an early fence around the park. The park was redesigned 1791 by Humphrey Repton. Some of the clumps and belts of trees he proposed for the park have survived, the most notable being Park Belt along the southern side of Wrenshot Lane.