Bestwood, Nottinghamshire Bestwood June 18th 1900 Bestwood Park shared with Clipstone the distinction of being one of the favourite hunting grounds in Sherwood used by our mediaeval kings. Tradition asserts that the original hunting lodge was built by Henry I for the accommodation of one of his numerous mistresses. In any case, he had granted, before 1130, that the monks of Lenton the right of entry and exit to and from his wood of Bestwood with two wagons or three carts to gather dead and dry wood, sufficient for their proper use on each and every day. The last of the Plantagenets, Richard III, spent the night of Tuesday, the 16th August, 1485 at the lodge and remained hunting there until Friday, the 19th August, when he left for Nottingham before marching to Leicester and the field of Bosworth. Bestwood Lodge c1900 At the Hight of Fashion Thoroton speaks of the Park having a very fair lodge in it, and has been in three Earl of Rutland families, and before that one of Queen Elizabeth`s courtiers Sir John Byron, a favourite of King Henry VIII. In the historian s time, Bestwood was leased to William Lord Willoughby of Parham, At the time when the keeper of Bestwood forest was the Earl of Rutland, a note from Lancealot Rolleston to the Earl gave accout of the population of Deer in the Park as at least 300 fallow deer, and 420 red deer the subsequent account was done in 1650. Bestwood Lodge c1900 At the Hight of Fashion The Park at Bestwood one of the favourite hunting places visited by King Charles II, The hall was built of wood, with lime and plaster and covered with slate and tile, and containing some 38 rooms. the area covered by the Bestwood Park was some 3000 acre`s of which 100 was tilled for possibly food growing the other was pasture. In 1683 Charles II, by letters patent, he granted Bestwood to Charles Beauclerk, first Duke of St Albans, this noble family had done much to improve the hall, He set out to make the Hall on of the grandest one of the worthyest of English stately homes In 1885 the Bestwood Lodge was completed under th direction of the present Duke and is a fine piece of domestic architecture in style of the 15th centry. Please take the time to Sign my Guestbook

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