Lodge Park and Sherborne Estate

A Grandstand Built for Spectacle and Sport

Lodge Park was constructed in the 17th century as an extraordinary grandstand for deer coursing, a fashionable aristocratic pastime. Built for John 'Crump' Dutton, a man of considerable means and appetite for entertainment, the building embodied the height of leisure culture during this period. The original structure consisted of two storeys with a basement, designed specifically to allow guests to observe the coursing events from a flat roof and a balcony overlooking the grounds. The ground floor served as an entrance hall for welcoming visitors, while the first floor contained the Great Room where guests were entertained between sporting events. The basement housed kitchens, ensuring that banqueting and hospitality could accompany the spectacle. This unique purpose makes Lodge Park England's only surviving 17th-century deer course and grandstand—a building type that has otherwise vanished from the British landscape.

Centuries of Transformation and Decline

Following its original purpose, Lodge Park underwent significant changes across subsequent centuries. During the 19th century, the grandstand was converted into a private residence, then subdivided into a row of cottages, and later reconverted into a house once more. These alterations obscured the building's original form, and by the time it came into National Trust ownership in 1982, Lodge Park had fallen into considerable disrepair. The external walls were moving, chimney stacks were collapsing, and the interior had been fragmented into what the Trust described as "a jumble of small-scale modern rooms and corridors." The building's true historical significance had been buried beneath layers of domestic modification.

Archaeological Restoration to Original Glory

When the National Trust acquired Lodge Park in 1982 following the bequest of Charles Dutton, 7th Baron Sherborne, the organisation embarked on its first major restoration project. This undertaking proved complex and meticulous. Researchers discovered a 1634 description of the building in historical archives and consulted the Sherborne Archive held in the Gloucester Record Office. Archaeological investigations revealed crucial evidence about the building's original configuration and subsequent alterations. Rather than simply stabilising the structure, the Trust made the ambitious decision to restore Lodge Park to a condition close to its original 17th-century form. This restoration was completed in 1998, returning the grandstand to its former architectural glory and allowing visitors to experience the building much as Dutton's guests would have done centuries earlier.

The Sherborne Estate: A Living Landscape

Lodge Park sits within the broader Sherborne Estate, a working agricultural landscape that has been carefully managed to support both farming and wildlife conservation. The estate encompasses approximately 2,000 acres of Cotswold countryside, featuring mixed woodlands, open fields, and 18th-century water meadows. The landscape design at Lodge Park was created by Charles Bridgeman, an influential 18th-century gardener whose designs were considered revolutionary for their time. Though much of Bridgeman's original vision was never fully realised, the National Trust has undertaken restoration work to recover elements of this historic landscape design. The estate remains actively farmed while simultaneously serving as a habitat for diverse wildlife, including fallow and roe deer, badgers, foxes, otters, water voles, and dragonflies. This balance between agricultural use and nature conservation represents the Trust's broader commitment to sustainable land management.

Walking Routes and Natural Discovery

Visitors to the Sherborne Estate can explore the landscape via three main walking routes that begin at Ewe Pen Barn. The Short Woodland Stroll offers a gentle introduction to the estate's wooded areas, while the Family Fun Walk provides a more accessible route suitable for visitors of varying abilities. The Historic Farmland Hike takes a longer path through the working agricultural landscape, revealing the relationship between farming and the natural environment. A sculpture trail winds through the pleasure grounds, adding an artistic dimension to the walking experience. The water meadows, accessible from Northfield Barn car park, provide opportunities to observe wetland wildlife and understand the historical engineering of drainage channels and sluices that have shaped this landscape for centuries. The estate remains open year-round from dawn to dusk, allowing visitors to experience the changing seasons and the rhythms of both wildlife and agricultural activity.

Media Recognition and Contemporary Significance

The Sherborne Estate gained wider recognition when it served as the filming location for the BBC Two wildlife television programmes Springwatch and Autumnwatch in 2017, followed by Winterwatch in January 2018. This exposure highlighted the estate's ecological importance and the successful integration of wildlife conservation with working land management. Today, Lodge Park and the Sherborne Estate continue to demonstrate how historic sites can be preserved while simultaneously serving contemporary conservation goals and providing meaningful public access to both cultural heritage and natural spaces.