Public Consultation
In 2024, Berkhamsted Castle Trust started to explore opportunities to enhance this area and its links with Berkhamsted Castle.
How can we bring out the story of the landscape, and celebrate the rich historic and cultural heritage of the deer park? Can we enhance the public realm around Berkhamsted Castle?
Ideas and aspirations
Today, Berkhamsted’s former deer park is divided into many privately owned fields, but we have been looking into possible ways to mark this historical boundary along the existing public footpaths and enhance the visitor experience in the area around the Castle. We looked at similar projects at other sites around the UK for inspiration.
We recognise that some ideas are aspirational, given that the landscape beyond Berkhamsted Castle has multiple owners, and there are varying site considerations and constraints. The ideas shown below have not been agreed or funded, but offered a starting point for the public consultation.
Examples of potential opportunities
Potential historic site or point of interest
Potential enhanced arrival experience
Potential viewpoint interpretation
Potential consolidated and improved wayfinding
Similar examples from elsewhere
Dartington Hall, South Devon
Sowerby Park and Sports Village, North Yorkshire
Bucklers Forest, Crowthorne, Berkshire
Key objectives
The key objectives for the project are:
- Protection: Raising the profile of Berkhamsted Castle and securing its future
- Public access: Providing additional and alternative publicly accessible green space in Berkhamsted whilst steering movement away from the Special Area of Conservation at Ashridge Estate
- Outdoor provision: Rationalising and improving access, signage and existing furniture
- Education: Promoting the site’s history including its use as a former deer park
- Engagement: Working with land owners, key stakeholders and members of the public to understand the feasibility of the park
Talking to Berkhamsted
In early 2024, we ran a public consultation with award-winning environmental consultancy Land Use Consultants (LUC). This consultation included an online survey, a public engagement stall on Berkhamsted High Street Market, a gazebo in the Castle grounds, with information boards, maps and flyers, and various communications on social media.
The online survey has now closed, but if you are welcome to get touch with and comments or questions:
Outcomes
The public consultation was an incredibly valuable exercise. The enthusiastic response showed us that people really cherish the Castle as a local landmark, and we gathered an abundance of constructive views. This has helped us to develop our proposals further put together a detailed Feasibility Study, setting out and assessing the various options.