An expanded version of the illustrated talk Dr. Pittman gave to the Society in 2013.

Owning a deer park was one of the greatest status symbols one could have. Only the richest gentlemen or those higher in the social scale could afford to set aside land and fence it in for preserving deer to hunt and to supply venison.  Ten early deer parks have so far been found in the London Borough of Bromley.

Sometimes the shapes of deer parks have been imprinted on the countryside and can be detected by comparing old and modern maps. Even after ceasing  to operate as a deer park, because the surrounding countryside had already been established, the line of the park boundary was kept and the later field boundaries abutted onto it. The road and footpath pattern can still delineate the ancient park boundaries.