History of the Deer Park

·     The Deer Park at Donington dates back to mediaeval times, possibly as early as 1102, when the Earls of Chester held it from the Crown.
·     In those days Deer Parks were a needy luxury and proof of power.  The Crown retained the right to grant ownership to those currently in favour, which was often a dangerous privilege.  No less than six owners of Donington lost their heads during the middle ages.
·     In 1229, John de Lacey, Earl of Lincoln, was given eleven fallow deer from Sherwood Forest to improve and increase the Donington herd.
·     In 1482, Edward 1V leased the park to William, Lord Hastings, and his family became associated with the park for 300 years.
·     The park was re-stocked in 1490 by Henry ll.
·     Sir George Hastings, the 1^st Earl of Huntingdon bought the park in 1595, and pulled down most of Donington Castle to build his Hall in Donington Park.
·     The park was re-stocked again in 1753 by the 10^th Earl, and in 1790 the present Donington Hall was built by his nephew, the first Marquis of Hastings.
·     The estate was sold after the death of the infamous 4^th Marquis in 1868, and at that time the park was 360 acres, containing 385 Fallow and 38 Red Deer.

·     During the First World War, the deer suffered while the Hall was used as a P.O.W camp for Prussian Officers, and during the Second over 300 were shot by the army.
·     The park was purchased by the Shields family in 1926, but they were dispossessed by the army between 1939 and 1955. 
·     After the war, the park was in a sorry state.  The Hall was derelict (it had been a Hotel for the race circuit before the war).
·     It took ten years just to remove the piles of scrap metal and rotting vehicles left by the army.  It took longer still to re-build the walls & fences and to slowly restore the deer herd to a sustainable size.
·     The park is now some 160 acres, and is protected as a SSSI.  The deer are still a wild herd, now some 300 strong.  The whole area is maintained under strict conditions, under the rules of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. 

The Park is renowned for its ancient Oak Trees, some up to 900 years old. Because it was a Royal Hunting Park until 1594, the trees were not harvested and were allowed to develop to maturity in relatively open countryside. Many were pollarded at the time of the Wesleys because Lady Selina Hastings was a sponsor of the Methodist cause and used the timbers for the roofs of her chapels. The 8th Countess of Loudon loved the park so much that, on her death, she ordered that her right hand be buried at her favourite spot, overlooking the river Trent.  The memorial is a large Celtic cross standing on vast blocks of sandstone, piled in the shape of a hand.
The park is still magnificent to visit, but it is not open to the public at any time. However, the owners are happy to share their secret with small groups of people who are interested in the history, trees and deer, and details of this can be found in the 'Guided Walks & Tours' section.