The A46 towards Stroud corkscrews its way up the steep Cooper's Hill above Brockworth, affording brief glimpses of the valleys below. And here, in one picturesque vale, lies Prinknash Abbey Bird and Deer Park.

"It all started in 1974," explained park owner and creator Philip Meigh. "I graduated from the Royal College of Art in the 1950s and spent 20 years as a Fleet Street cartoonist on papers like the Daily Sketch. Then I thought I'd do something new and bought a charming house near here. I had a great interest in birds and I amassed a collection of waterfowl."

In 1974, Philip was approached by the monks of Prinknash Abbey. Their pottery business was doing so well, they were becoming overwhelmed by visitors. They asked Philip to create a further attraction and the Bird and Deer Park was born.

But with his artistic flair, Philip determined to create something different, to match beautiful surroundings to the beauty of birds and animals, to echo the elegance and style of an 18th century park. The aim was to give any adult or child entering the grounds a feeling of delight, of beauty, of peace, and to walk among birds and animals.

Starting with the proverbial sow's ear, a gorgeous silk purse has gradually evolved over the years. Leasing nine acres of wild and overgrown treeless scrubland with only a stream running through it, Philip and his team set about transforming the wilderness. That demanded planning, imaginative design and sheer hard work.

More than 30 years on, Philip's vision has been more than fulfilled. I entered the park to find a truly charming vista, a natural bowl now filled with lakes, trees, folly structures and aviaries, and birds and animals roaming freely.

Before starting my tour, I followed the sound of hammering and met Nick, who was putting the finishing touches to a neo-classical aviary. Along with colleague Trevor, Nick looks after both animals and the grounds. He helped me to get my bearings with the plan of the park and pointed out where to find each species.

He suggested I begin at the Monks' Pond with the rainbow trout. When I mischievously asked if they were for decorative purpose only, Nick grinned. "Yes, but we had to put up high mesh on one side of the pond to stop people casting lines over the fence from the adjoining field!" he explained.

Taking Nick's advice, I strolled up the hill and into the wood. At regular intervals there are airlock-style gates to prevent deer from straying into the wrong areas; at equally regular intervals, there are display cases showing the bird species and boards with pictorial brain teasers. Everywhere, too are white wooden benches, inviting visitors to stop, rest and take in the silence and tranquillity.

Shaded by trees on this dull winter's day, the trout are but dark shadows in the water, but that water constantly boils with activity and there is the occasional flash of silvery brown as one leaps.

Sharing the wood are golden pheasants (Chrysopholus pictus). Smaller than a pheasant, the male has startling plumage with a yellow crown and lower back, dark wings and upper neck and red underparts. Its tail is very long and finely barred. Females are paler brown than a female pheasant. Like many birds in the park, they see me as a potential source of food and wander right up to me, totally unafraid.

The path from the wood slopes upwards, meandering through whole squadrons of Indian blue and white peacocks, all just as tame as the pheasants. Fallow deer are nearby, their soft eyes and velvety coats such a favourite with children.

Just beyond lies one of Philip's follies, the children's castle, then nearby, an Indian-style aviary that mimics the Taj Mahal.

A separate field houses the wild deer used for breeding and visible only through the fence. Even these are quite tame, according to Nick, and where once they waited until food had been offloaded before approaching, now they are round the trailer before it has stopped.

Pygmy goats are a real attraction for youngsters. Originally from Africa, mainly Nigeria and the Cameroons, the goat is gentle and inquisitive and loves company, both human and goat. For that reason, one must never be kept on its own. Pygmy goats make ideal pets, although males must be castrated to avoid a powerful smell.

Lakes and ponds are home to a variety of waterfowl. New kids on the block are two black swans and just like kids, they will not do as they are told. Refusing to occupy the lower pond, they continue to fly back to the lake when returned to their proper home.

Perched above the lake is the Elizabethan Wendy house, beautifully scale modelled on the original architecture. While parents take a breather, the tots can play with the Teddy bears, make tea', look at Beatrix Potter posters or wave through the upstairs windows.

Lying below abbeys both old and new, the park works in harmony with the monastic order. In 1928, the order moved from Wales to the old abbey, a Tudor mansion. Sale of a bequested picture funded a new Abbey in 1974, built with the ambition of increasing numbers.

The old abbey became a retreat, St Peter's Grange. Unfortunately, numbers have declined such that the new building has been sold as a nursing home and the monks have re-occupied St Peter's Grange. The pottery was sold to a private firm and has since closed, but the abbey still has shops and a tearoom.

Open all year round, Prinknash Abbey Bird and Deer Park attracts more than 40,000 visitors annually. If you are looking for a haven of peace and calm, look no further; your children will be enthralled.

Prinknash Abbey Bird and Deer Park is open every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Good Friday. Opening times are 10am-5pm in summer, 10am-4pm in winter. Call 01452 812727 or visit the website: www.prinknash-bird-and-deerpark