From Iron Age farms to Roman settlements, the Ashridge Estate is brimming with history. The remains of a hill fort, which once guarded the area against attack, can still be seen at Ivinghoe Beacon.
Bonfires are still lit on the beacon for special celebrations such as the Millennium and Royal Jubilees.
Fallow deer have been a feature of Ashridge since the 13th century. They were hunted by Henry VIII when he used Ashridge as a country residence.
In the autumn they can be seen rutting as the males fight for supremacy.
Royalty at Ashridge
Ashridge House was popular with Royalty from 1290 when Edward I held a parliament in the monastery, until 1604 when the estate passed into private hands.
Henry VIII held court here and his children sometimes lived here.