Data from a Blank Area Testing at Land Parcels AC240, Buckinghamshire, 2020-2021 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., INFRA Archaeology, 2025. https://doi.org/10.5284/1134742. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © High Speed Two Ltd. unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Primary contact
Victoria
Alexander
INFRA Archaeology
INFRA Archaeology, Unit 3
Ringside Business Park
Heol Y Rhosog
Cardiff
CF3 2EW
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 4494
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1134742
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises of report, GIS and spreadsheet data from a Blank Area Testing at Land Parcels AC240, Buckinghamshire (HS2 Phase One). The work was undertaken by INFRA Archaeology between 11-Oct-2020 till 31-Mar-2021. The setting out of the test pits followed the sampling requirement of the Project Plan and were spaced at a distance of 20m intervals on a staggered grid pattern, forming a diamond shaped configuration. The test pit sample makes an equivalent of 0.06% area of coverage of the Site.
Project Summary
The investigation and assessment of No-Data (blank) Area land parcels on Wayside Farm in Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire sought to identify the potential for evidence of significant early prehistoric and early medieval material which may be preserved within the disturbed topsoil/ploughsoil horizon with the view that significant clusters of such material, if present, may serve as a proxy to discover ephemeral and otherwise hard-to detect evidence from these periods. The specific HERDS objectives for AC240 are listed below:
- KC5: Identifying settlement location and developing models for settlement patterns for the Mesolithic, Neolithic,and Early Bronze Age.
- KC11: Does the high density of prehistoric settlement evidence in the Colne Valley reflect a genuine focus of activity or does it reflect a bias in the archaeological record?
- KC30: Identify the location and form of Early and Middle Saxon settlement and investigate evidence for land use in the period.
- KC31: Identify the location of Middle to Late Saxon settlement, explore processes of settlement nucleation and understand the development of associated field types and agricultural regimes.
- KC40 Identify patterns of change within Medieval rural settlement from the 11th to mid-14th century.
Re-Use Value Statement
The data collected from AC240 Blank Area Testing suggests there is no potential for early prehistoric or early medieval settlement to be present. However there does appear to be some potential for Roman domestic or industrial activity in the fieldwalking area, and there is also the potential for Iron Age or medieval evidence to be present.
This data could be used to aid the identification of and subsequent changes in industrial, agricultural, and settlement patterns throughout the area. Given the poor ground conditions experienced during the fieldwalking part of the site it is recommended further investigation by way of trial trenching or watching brief is undertaken to better contextualise and clarify the results of the BAT investigations.
