Explore the parkland at Attingham

Visitors walking in the Pleasure gardens at Attingham Park, Shropshire | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

The Berwicks only lived at Attingham for 200 years but their legacy lives on in this Shropshire country estate. From ancient trees and wildflowers, to native species, the parkland at Attingham includes woods, a deer park, and the River Tern. Attingham is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Deer Park

Attingham’s Deer Park was created in 1798 as part of the 2nd Lord Berwick’s grand improvements. Wild fallow deer were already living on the estate when around 400 acres were fenced to create the Deer Park.

Thomas, 8th Lord Berwick, was very fond of the deer at Attingham and fed them daily in the winter. Following his wishes, he and his wife’s ashes were placed at the memorial in the Deer Park.

A wild herd

Deer are wild animals and the Attingham herd is no exception. The Ranger team monitor the herd from a distance on a regular basis to ensure their health and wellbeing.

If you're visiting, the deer may not be visible in the Deer Park. For more information please click the link below.

Find out more about our work with the deer herd

Deer in ferns at Attingham Park, Shropshire. | © National Trust/ Jayne Gough

Flora and fauna to spot

Bats: around 10 species of bat, including over 1,000 pipistrelle bats. Seen at dawn and dusk.
Birds: the barn owl, raven and buzzard are the top predators here. Green and great spotted woodpeckers (in the woods during early summer, usually around May).
Cattle: pedigree Jerseys and longhorn cattle belonging to Home Farm graze in the front parkland during spring and summer months.
Fungi: from giant puffballs to tiny waxcaps and chicken of the woods, we have lots of fungi in the woodlands, best spotted in autumn. Our advice on fungi, wherever you are, is 'click, don't pick'. They make for great photos but can be poisonous so don't touch.
Trees: some of the tallest and straightest oaks in the country are here on the estate, including the Repton Oak which is over 650 years old.
Dead wood: trees and branches are perfect homes for insects, including deadwood invertebrates.
Dragonflies: during late summer and into the first few weeks of autumn dragonflies can still be spotted along the banks of the River Tern.
Swallows and House Martins: The annual Swallows and House Martin migration stops of at Attingham during September, usually. They can usually be spotted at the front of the Mansion before continuing their journey south for the winter.

Natural beauty: woodland and water

There's around 370 acres of woodland to explore at Attingham, filled with trees that have seen the centuries come and go, including our magnificent 650-year-old Repton oak on the Deer Park walk.

Five miles of river meanders through the park, featuring beautiful stretches of the Severn and Tern, and the many ponds are a haven for wildlife, from ducks and swans to otters and dragonflies.

The autumn light in the Deer Park at Attingham — Looking down at the weir on the River Tern at Attingham Park. | © National Trust / Sean Hattersley

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Attingham parkland is an important nature conservation site for veteran trees and invertebrates and it’s for this reason that it was awarded SSSI status in March 2000. Attingham's oldest tree is nearly 700 years-old and several others have reached around 500 years.

Old and veteran trees are the perfect habitat for saproxylic insects, important for the woodland eco-system, and more commonly known as deadwood invertebrates. They decompose matter producing soil and nutrients, creating new habitats and are an important food source for other wildlife.