Deer park in Deerpark

Located c. 500m N of Manorhamilton castle (LE007-079001-) at the nearest point, this area encompasses an undulating landscape bordered by the Bonet River at W and the Owenbeg at E, and encloses 290 acres (c. 117 ha). In 1631 the right to establish a deer park of 1,000 acres was granted to Sir Frederick Hamilton (Mac an Ghallóglaigh 1966, 60), but it was not built until Sir William Gore, who inherited the Manorhamilton estate through marriage with Sir Frederick's grand-daughter Hanna, enclosed this townland with walls at N and S, sometime before 1682 (Logan 1971, 329, 333). The deer-park confined deer for management and breeding purposes, and individual animals would be released for the hunt. The walls are reduced to the foundations (Wth c. 1m) throughout, often with a drystone-built wall on top. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Leitrim' compiled by Michael J. Moore (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2003). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 23 September 2008