Explore Charlecote's parkland

Your visit is helping us preserve this ancient landscape that Shakespeare would have known.

You can find out more about our work looking after this special habitat and about our wildlife when you join a free guided park walk when you visit. We depend on our lovely volunteers to lead the walks - just ask what's happening on your way in.

Pick up our tree walk guide or bird spotter sheet on your way in to discover more.

Regular visitors can pick up our walkers' loyalty card from 1 January - collect 8 stamps to collect your free hot drink and breakfast bap.

A time to relax

Find picnic benches on the paddock by the river and choose your favourite spot. Visitors picnic here twelve months of the year - just wrap up warm! If you’re looking for peace and quiet, we’re always less busy out of school holidays.

Charlecote’s historic fallow deer herd

There has been a fallow deer herd at Charlecote for centuries, and legend has it that a young William Shakespeare was prosecuted for poaching here. 

Tread quietly and leave your dog at home and they will stay still enough for stunning photographs. Please don't ever approach the deer to touch them. They are unpredictable wild animals and even our Ranger doesn't handle them.

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.

Spotting the spotty sheep

The fallow deer happily share the parkland with our pedigree herd of Jacob sheep with their characteristic chocolate-blotch fleeces.

Did you know that George Lucy introduced the very first flock of Jacobs to England from Portugal in 1755?

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.

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, and you'll find benches where you can pause to see what's around today.

When the rivers flood we have to close the entire property because we can't see the edges of the riverbanks. Please check the website for information before visiting Charlecote after severe weather.

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.