Gardens Of Earthly Delight -The History of Deer parks

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.' -- The Countryman The Countryman 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.' -- The Veterinary Record The Veterinary Record 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.' -- Country Life Country Life 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.' -- Literary Review Literary Review Deer parks now have an excellent new book which is full of yet more fascinating information.' -- Financial Times Financial Times 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.' -- British Archaeology British Archaeology 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.' -- Times Literary Supplement Times Literary Supplement 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.' -- The Medieval Review The Medieval Review 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.' -- Historic House Historic House 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. -- Cornwall Gardens Trust Newsletter Cornwall Gardens Trust Newsletter