Wakefield Lodge

About

The most striking feature of Wakefield Walk was the large expanse of Wakefield Lawn.

It was enlarged around 1600 by James I and at this time was also totally enveloped by woodland. Blocks of earthwork ridge and furrow cultivation have been traced on Wakefield Lawn, and have been associated perhaps with a medieval settlement at Wakefield. However, although the county historian John Bridges asserted the earlier presence of a settlement here no further evidence has been found and it is considered more likely that the ridge and furrow represents contemporary or later ploughing of the ancient deer lawn, possibly to improve the grassland. The lawn was overlooked by Wakefield Great Lodge, a royal hunting lodge which became successively the residence of the keeper, and then the lieutenant of the forest. The latter was traditionally allowed to keep just a few cattle and horses on Wakefield Lawn, but in the 1670s one Thomas Kingston was reported for making a considerable profit from the cattle he was rearing on the lawn. In 1691 the Surveyor General of Woods reported that a watchtower was required on Wakefield Lawn to prevent the illegal coursing of deer.