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OverviewThis is a highly original, profusely illustrated, and well researched account of deer parks. With humility and respect Fletcher touches on errors commonly made by archaeologists and historians, taking issue with long held theories while drawing on his lifetime working with deer to formulate plausible explanations as to, for example, why they were not domesticated until the 20th century, how parks evolved from haga and elricks , why deer parks were created throughout Eurasia, why fallow so rapidly ousted red deer from medieval British parks, and much more. He ranges from meat sharing amongst chimpanzees to the symbolism of venison as the elite product of hunting, ensconced within seven centuries of the English Royal Warrant, through the 300 year long prohibition on its sale within England and the continuing illegality of selling hunted venison within the USA, the aristocratic pursuit of park breaking, and the imposition of the Black Act. He stresses the cross-cultural importance of rulers being seen to hunt, compares ancient Chinese parks, the colossal Asian ring hunts, and the water hunts of Germany as expressions of man's urge to contain deer. Within Britain, which has for a thousand years held more deer parks than any other part of the world, he describes how deer were fed, transported, enclosed, captured, castrated and housed, and how they were hunted in the confines of parks. The recent theory as to the use of trenches for handling deer in medieval Scotland is explored. The international symbolism of white deer, collared deer and enclosed deer is discussed. Recently, parks provided deer for English carted hunts and Scottish sporting estates; now we recognise their ecological and recreational value. We learn how parklands may be our spiritual home - the environment in which we are most content - and that parks have always been, in a fashion, designed landscapes. Full Product DetailsAuthor: John FletcherPublisher: Windgather Press Imprint: Windgather Press Dimensions: Width: 18.30cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 24.40cm Weight: 0.907kg ISBN: 9781905119363ISBN 10: 1905119364 Pages: 296 Publication Date: 15 March 2011 Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , College/higher education , Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly , Professional & Vocational Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: In Print  This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us. Table of ContentsReviewsA detailed and scholarly history of deer parks, from their role as hunting grounds of medieval nobility to modern-day visitor attractions at country-house properties.' -- Mark Whitley The Countryman June 2011 A delightful and thoroughly researched analysis of man's interaction with deer through the centuries. It provides a fascinating insight into the domestication of farmed animals and attitudes to hunting and man's treatment of animals. To all those wishing to understand the complexity of the relationship between humans and animals and how this has impacted on our landscape and culture, this book is most strongly recommended.' -- Hugh W. Reid The Veterinary Record 2 July 2011 This is an accessible, wide-ranging and immensely enjoyable history by a deer veterinarian who gained a PhD in the subject at Cambridge and can convincingly quote from Italo Calvino, Gaston Bachelard and William Wordsworth.' -- Tim Richardson Country Life 6 July 2011 This is a singularly enjoyable book on a neglected topic which is of some importance in the history of Englishness. Its surprising elisions and poetic turns are a recurring source of delight.' -- Tim Richardson The Literary Review July 2011 Deer parks now have an excellent new book which is full of yet more fascinating information.' -- Robin Lane Fox Financial Times 9-10 July 2011 But what sets this book apart, and makes it so stimulating for anyone interested in historic deer management, is the fact that Fletcher is a deer vet (and understands hunting). Here are accessible discussions of deer management, habitats and the characters of the different breeds (fallow deer are easily managed and can be carried on a man's back or even caught in mid-air as they leap), with some tolerant rebuttals of landscape historians' much repeated inherited truisms. Highly readable - shelve alongside Rackham's History of the Countryside.' -- Paul Stamper British Archaeology Sept-Oct 2011 John Fletchers absorbing Gardens of Earthly Delight: The History of Deer Parks looks into the more ancient origins of country house parks, many of which began as enclosed deer parks dating back to the Middle Ages.' -- Marcus Binney The Times Literary Supplement 19 November 2011 This handsome, lavishly illustrated book offers a wealth of information on a number of topics beyond what may be expected from its title, including landscape history, the physiology, behaviour and characteristics of different deer species, and the practicalities of deer management.' -- David Scott-Macnab The Medieval Review 2 January 2012 Clearly and engagingly written, packed with new insights, attractively produced and very reasonably priced, this is one of the most important books on landscape history to appear in recent years. It deserves to be widely read, by professional historians as much as by the wider interested public.' -- Tom Williamson Historic House Spring 2012 A detailed and scholarly history of deer parks, from their role as hunting grounds of medieval nobility to modern-day visitor attractions at country-house properties.' -- Mark Whitley The Countryman June 2011 A delightful and thoroughly researched analysis of man's interaction with deer through the centuries. It provides a fascinating insight into the domestication of farmed animals and attitudes to hunting and man's treatment of animals. To all those wishing to understand the complexity of the relationship between humans and animals and how this has impacted on our landscape and culture, this book is most strongly recommended.' -- Hugh W. Reid The Veterinary Record 2 July 2011 This is an accessible, wide-ranging and immensely enjoyable history by a deer veterinarian who gained a PhD in the subject at Cambridge and can convincingly quote from Italo Calvino, Gaston Bachelard and William Wordsworth.' -- Tim Richardson Country Life 6 July 2011 This is a singularly enjoyable book on a neglected topic which is of some importance in the history of Englishness. Its surprising elisions and poetic turns are a recurring source of delight.' -- Tim Richardson Literary Review July 2011 Deer parks now have an excellent new book which is full of yet more fascinating information.' -- Robin Lane Fox Financial Times 9-10 July 2011 But what sets this book apart, and makes it so stimulating for anyone interested in historic deer management, is the fact that Fletcher is a deer vet (and understands hunting). Here are accessible discussions of deer management, habitats and the characters of the different breeds (fallow deer are easily managed and can be carried on a man's back or even caught in mid-air as they leap), with some tolerant rebuttals of landscape historians' much repeated inherited truisms. Highly readable - shelve alongside Rackham's History of the Countryside.' -- Paul Stamper British Archaeology Sept-Oct 2011 John Fletchers absorbing Gardens of Earthly Delight: The History of Deer Parks looks into the more ancient origins of country house parks, many of which began as enclosed deer parks dating back to the Middle Ages.' -- Marcus Binney Times Literary Supplement 19 November 2011 This handsome, lavishly illustrated book offers a wealth of information on a number of topics beyond what may be expected from its title, including landscape history, the physiology, behaviour and characteristics of different deer species, and the practicalities of deer management.' -- David Scott-Macnab The Medieval Review 2 January 2012 Clearly and engagingly written, packed with new insights, attractively produced and very reasonably priced, this is one of the most important books on landscape history to appear in recent years. It deserves to be widely read, by professional historians as much as by the wider interested public.' -- Tom Williamson Historic House Spring 2012 What [John Fletcher] has achieved is a well written and well put together book about the history of the deer park. This is a thoroughly informative read. -- Hilary Bosher Cornwall Gardens Trust Newsletter 2013 Author InformationJohn Fletcher is a specialist deer vet with a worldwide reputation in the behaviour, biology and practical management of deer, especially in parks and on farms. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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