Explore the parkland at Charlecote this summer

To discover more about our work and wildlife, join a free guided park walk on the day of your visit. We depend on our lovely volunteers to lead the walks - just ask what's happening today on your way in.

Bring your binoculars

Our riverside setting is a wildlife haven and it’s an ideal spot for birdwatching. Our licensed ornithologists check nests and nestboxes and keep an eye on the birds throughout the year, producing a detailed report for us.

Charlecote’s livestock

You can often get quite close to where our fallow deer are grazing – keep checking our Events page for special behind-the-scenes walks with the Ranger at different times of year, they always sell out.

Please - never approach the deer. They are unpredictable wild animals.

The deer happily share the parkland with our pedigree herd of Jacob sheep. Did you know that George Lucy introduced the very first flock of Jacobs to England from Portugal in 1755?

In the summer you’ll see Devon Red Poll cattle across the river in Camp Ground, brought in by a local farmer.

Bringing in this small rare-breed herd benefits both the owner and livestock as there is plenty of grazing here. Our wildlife benefits too, as the cattle are less selective when they graze and create a varied grass height, favourable for many insects, birds and other wildlife.

Caring for the environment

As part of the Higher Level Stewardship scheme we manage the parkland to ensure the widest possible environmental benefits. We look after our ancient trees in the park and manage our rare fruit varieties in the orchard. Our annual Tree Survey checks the condition of every tree in the parkland.

Pick up a Tree Walk trail on your way in and find out more about some of our special trees.

Centuries of tradition

Have you noticed the traditional cleft oak paling fencing? This is a rural craft that we're delighted to be able to keep alive. The varied heights of the panels confuse the deer so that they don't jump over the fence, although they easily could!

The family church

Your parkland stroll will bring you to St Leonard’s church, rebuilt by Mary Elizabeth Lucy in memory of her husband.

Please note that the gate is one-way and does not allow re-entry to the parkland. If you decide to pop in here before you’ve finished your visit, please call in again to Visitor Reception with your sticker and they’ll re-admit you.

Where two rivers meet

Flowing through the park are both Shakespeare’s Avon and its tributary, the little river Dene. They add diversity to the wildlife in the parkland throughout the year.

We manage the growth of vegetation to ensure the rivers flow smoothly, and we have installed an eel bypass too.