Deer Shelter in Auckland Castle Park

The Deer Shelter in Auckland Castle Park, built around 1760 for Bishop Richard Trevor and likely designed by Thomas Wright, is an example of Gothic revival architecture.

Constructed from coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings, the shelter features a rectangular plan with four linked passages surrounding a central open quadrangle. The north-east side has a central arched entrance, while the south-west side includes a central tower that houses a first-floor viewing room.

Situated on elevated ground within the former deer park, the exterior boasts crenelated outer walls and four-centre arched arcades. The long south-east and south-west sides are adorned with a 15-arch arcade, where the voussoirs rest on the impost mouldings of square piers, and above alternating arches, there are blind cross-slits. The north-east side features a full-height central pointed arched entrance flanked by crocketed pinnacles, with a six-arch arcade on either side. The south-west side has a canted, crenelated ground-floor projection with pointed arched windows, also flanked by a six-arch arcade. Rising behind is a two-storey crenelated and pinnacled tower, with each first-floor face displaying a blind quatrefoil and a blind cross slit.

Inside, solid lower inner walls create the four linked passages, which were formerly roofed and served as deer shelters, with cross arches at the corners. A passage on the north-west side has an opening that provides access to the central quadrangle. The first floor of the tower contains a prospect room for enjoying the view.