The Belper Parks Project, Belper, Derbyshire

ARCUS were commissioned by the Friends of Belper Parks to carry out a historic landscape survey involving both professional archaeologists and local community volunteers undertaking research, survey, excavation and building recording. Belper Parks is a former medieval deer park within the forest of Duffield Frith, and elements of the medieval park landscape were investigated during the project, including surviving sections of bank associated with the park pale, a probable fishpond and associated mill leat, and areas of holly-rich Ancient Woodland. The deer park appears to have lapsed during the 16th century, and in the early post-medieval period a complex of fields and drystone walls developed within the former park, while areas of woodland were managed by coppicing and exploited for charcoal and white-coal production. This is an important survival of a medieval and early post-medieval landscape, and it is recommended that a management plan is drawn up to enable sensitive conservation of the archaeological features within the Local Nature Reserve.