Little Fallow deer fawn, when did your kind arrive in Britain, and what is the origin of your name?
Fallow deer were once found all over continental Europe. And in the case of the ancestors of this deer, the Normans brought them to England when they invaded in the 11th century from Normandy and took the English Crown.
As a side note, there are other animals that were brought to Britain, such as rabbits that were brought by the Romans.
This little fawn is in Richmond Park, a Royal Park that was established by Charles I specifically as a deer park.
In 1625 Charles moved his court out of London because of an outbreak of plague. He came to Richmond Palace and declared two-and-a-half thousand acres (1,000 hectares) on the hill above Richmond as a park so he could hunt red and fallow deer.
Etymology of Fallow and Fawn
The word ‘Fallow’ comes directly from fallow fields – fields that have been allowed to rest for a year without a crop on them – and from the pale brown colour of the soil in fields left fallow.
The word ‘fawn’ comes from foetus (or fetus) and was used originally for any young animal. From the 15th century it has been used to refer only to young deer.
Photograph Works 