Data from an Archaeological Recording at Rocky Lane and Grove Farm, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, 2020 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., INFRA Archaeology, 2024. https://doi.org/10.5284/1119341. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © High Speed Two Ltd. unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under a The Open Government Licence (OGL).
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Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 4621
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1119341
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises a digital archive of photographs, reports, GIS, spreadsheets, and scanned site records from an archaeological recording by INFRA Archaeology on two locations: Rocky Lane and Grove Farm, near Wendover, Buckinghamshire between August and September 2020.
Project Summary
The recording forms part of Phase One of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project, which will involve the construction of a new railway approximately 230km (143 miles) in length between London and the West Midlands. Powers for the construction, operation and maintenance of Phase One are conferred by the High-Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act 2017.
The land at both locations was targeted to enable the construction of the rail alignment formation associated with Small Dean North Embankment and the Wendover Green Tunnel, Small Dean South Embankments and Rocky Lane Cutting. The investigation at Rocky Lane (Land Parcel C21032) encompassed an Archaeological Recording area measuring 0.12ha, and five evaluation trenches. At Grove Farm, two Archaeological Recording areas were investigated: Grove Farm North (Land Parcel C21033) and Grove Farm West (Land Parcel C21034).
The general aims of the Archaeological Recording across the Site were provided in the Project Plan and were as follows
- To confirm and record the presence/absence, extent and depth of archaeological deposits
- To confirm and record the presence and extent of the graveyard and human remains
- To confirm and record evidence for domestic activity
- Determine the range, quality and quantity of artefactual and environmental evidence present
- Provide a comprehensive record of archaeological remains evidence in the subsoil
The recording also sought to contribute to the following specific HERDS objectives:
- KC10 Provide further understanding of the transition between a mobile pattern of settlement in the Early Bronze Age to the development of fixed settlement and enclosure, in the Middle and Late Bronze Age
- KC15 (KEY OBJECTIVE) Can we identify regional patterns in the form and location of Late Bronze Age and Iron Age settlement across the route, and are there associated differences in landscape organisation and enclosure?
- KC16 Investigate the degree of continuity that existed between Late Bronze Age and Iron Age communities in terms of population, mobility and subsistence strategies
- KC18 Explore the evidence for increasing social complexity in the archaeological record in the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age, and to identify patterns of intra-regional and regional variation
- KC40 Identify patterns of change within Medieval rural settlement from the 11th to mid-14th century.
Re-Use Value Statement
No archaeological remains were uncovered at Rocky Lane, only varying geology was recorded.
Archaeological features were uncovered at the Grove Farm North (Land parcel C21033), these included Neolithic pits and disarticulated human remains, the date of which is uncertain and C14 dating would be required to ascertain a time frame. Additionally, Iron Age bell-shaped storage pits were recorded with cremations dating to the Roman period. Several undated features were also recorded that comprised pits and ditches.
The Grove Farm West (Land parcel C21034) area revealed a low density of features, which included an undated cremation, undated small discrete pits and post-medieval agricultural remains in the form furrows and a large pit.
Most of the proposals for future work comprises analysis of the archaeological finds and data collected during the Archaeological Recordings, including detailed analysis of the faunal and osteological remains, pottery, special finds (in particular brooch SF008), and the plant remains.
It is recommended that further analysis of the artefacts, combined with a detailed analysis of the spatial and stratigraphic data, will provide a greater understanding of the primary nature of the features, and how they were re-used or replaced over time.
Comparison studies of the site with other local sites should, and will, be undertaken to find correlations between the discoveries at Grove Farm and its environs, and to place the site within a wider regional context.
All the analysis tasks are designed to develop these generic objectives, and illustration of selected finds including pottery and metalwork would be undertaken for presentation in any subsequent publication. This work can lead to community engagement in line with proposals outlined in section 11 of the Project Plan.
