Monument record 0110100000 - WING PARK (ASCOTT HOUSE)

Site of former Ascott House, now indicated by a raised platform (B7).
At NGR (B6).
Associated with house site are a bowling green & remains of formal gardens [CAS 0110102000]. Adjacent is a ?DMV (B7).
The present Ascott House, a mainly C19 building, is to the NE (CAS 00583). Scheduled: SAM 29417 (B16).
Earl of Caernarvon's house sacked in 1642 (B19).

A late medieval or early post-medieval quarry and/or extraction site is visible on historic aerial photograph and remote sensing data as earthworks and was mapped as part of the Aylesbury Vale Aerial Investigation and Mapping project (EBC18604). Located about 170 metres NW of Ascott Manor and centred at SP 88829 22507, the quarry or extraction site has irregularly edges but has a roughly rectangular shape at 112 metres N-S and 78 metres W-E at its widest, covering an area about 6,026 square metres. It is possible that this is the source of material for the construction of old Ascott House (demolished following damage in the English Civil War) and its formal gardens. Equally possible is that this was actually the site of old Ascott House and the extraction represents the robbing and removal of the house’s stone following its demolition. However, if so, it is angled at 45 degrees to the formal gardens, which seems somewhat antithetical. The extraction area does not feature on historic OS map editions but is clearly visible underlying post-medieval field boundaries on aerial photographs taken in 1944. Much of the area is now covered by a newly grown square of (unnamed) woodland on aerial photographs taken in 2003, which remains extant in 2024 (20-23).



(SP 8875 2249) Traces of foundations and ramparts of the former house of the Dormer family (B4).
The defences consisted of massive earthen ramparts 30 to 50ft in thickness enclosing three sides of a platform 400 by 130ft. Also in a large field known as Wing Park (SP 82 SE (M)) are the foundation marks of a number of smaller buildings (B3).
Ascott House is said to have been built on the site of Wing Priory (SP 82 SE 12), it fell into a state of decay in the 18thc and the foundations were cleared away in the early 19thc (B5).
The remains of the earthworks can be seen, also the sites of the smaller buildings (authy 2). The banks seen at SP 888 224 (b30) are the remains of the garden terraces mentioned by Sheahan. (B30 and B2).
There is no trace, local knowledge or documentary evidence to suggest the site of Ascott House, though it is known to have existed in Wing Park. From examination of St Joseph Aps, its approximate site can be deduced at SP 8875 2244 above the landscape garden features and in line with a turf-covered avenue. An amorphous level area can be seen here (B31).
SP 887 224. Deserted medieval village in Wing Park, scheduled 120. SP 887 224. Site of Askett House [sic] and 17th century bowling green in Wing Park, scheduled 121. (B16).
There is at present no evidence to suggest that the two scheduled areas are distinct (see illustration card 2). This site needs to be investigated by RCHME field staff at the earliest opportunity (B32).
Massive earthworks representing formal gardens associated with Askett House are centred at SP 8880 2237. The house site itself probably lies to the N within a modern poplar plantation at SP 8880 2250. The main garden arrangement is two great terraces running SW-NE and standing to 4m in height. Below each terrace is a levelled
compartment on which survive slight traces of flower beds and paths; on the upper one is a central circular pond. To the S are possible water features. Due to the excellent state of preservation of the earthworks, gazebos, steps, and other more complex fine detail is visible. In the field to the W on the W side of a slight valley are earthworks allegedly representing settlement remains. Centred at SP 8865 2230 they in fact demonstrate a sequence of changing agricultural land use, with possible traces of properties being visible only in the NW corner of the field. Two furlongs of ridge and furrow are visible these being subsequently incorporated into and overlain by a system of enclosed fields or paddocks. At the NW corner of the field are a number of smaller paddocks and stances which may indicate the presence of stock pens or field barns. However, it is possible that they represent the extreme edge of settlement within the village of Wing. The former N extent of the earthworks has been lost beneath modern housing (B33).
Possibly 17th garden remains. Partially surveyed by the RCHME in March-April 1993. The remaining part lay within the Rothschild's estate, to which access was not obtained. The survey is held by RCHME Collections (B34 and 35).
A rapid examination of air photography shows the remains of the gardens and features as earthworks (and soilmarks around Wing Park Farm) (B34).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.