Data from an Excavation at North Portal (South Heath Cutting), Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, 2019-2021 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., INFRA Archaeology, 2023. https://doi.org/10.5284/1106790. 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: 4630
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1106790
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprises a digital archive of photographs, reports and scanned site records from an archaeological mitigation, in the form of open-area excavation, by INFRA Archaeology on land near Great Missenden and South Heath, Buckinghamshire.
The excavation was targeted on the south-west side of the North Portal of the Chiltern Tunnel section of the High Speed 2 scheme, and comprised parts of two pastoral fields with a total area of approximately 2.58ha. The work was carried out between March and April 2019.
The excavation 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.
Project Summary
The general aims of the Archaeological Recording across the Site 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 archaeological mitigation was required to help clarify the questions below and contribute to the scheme wide specific GWSI: Historic Environment Research and Delivery Strategy (HERDS) objectives:
- KC5: Identifying settlement location and developing models for settlement patterns for the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Early Bronze Age.
- KC17: What evidence is there for regionality in the mortuary rites of the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age, and how does that alter over time?
- KC20: Investigate the changing nature of funerary rites in the Late Iron Age and Romano-British periods. What evidence is there that the adoption of new rites or changes in existing practices are the result of the movement of people, contact with new ideas, or even new religions?
- KC34: Undertake research and investigation into medieval manorial complexes. What was their origin, development and impact on the landscape?
- KC40: Identify patterns of change within medieval rural settlement from the 11th to mid-14th century
Reuse Value Statement
The mitigation uncovered the remains of large quarry pits, large pits, postholes and ditches, the majority of which were undated. Late Bronze Age dated features are confined to two pits toward the southern end of Site (Area E), with possible tree clearance associated with this date or slightly later into the Roman period. A pit located centrally, and a pit located toward the north end of Site also produced Late Bronze Age pottery.
Four large quarry pits, located toward the western and southern limits of Site, are potentially of Roman date with two producing Roman dating.
A series of post-built rectangular in form are present along the southern limits of Site. The rectangular structures are largely truncated with only one surviving relatively intact, this being a good example of an Anglo-Saxon longhouse. A square post-built structure toward the south-east extremities of Site may be the remains of a granary of Anglo-Saxon date. A single inhumation of Anglo-Saxon date was also recovered during the trial trenching phase c.100m north of the post-built structures.
Later activity is in the form of Medieval/Post-Medieval field system, with lynchets terracing the slope in the eastern central portion of the Site.
The assessment of the material recovered, and relevant corresponding data presented within this archive, has identified potential further work that could enhance the understanding of the Site:
- Although the specialist pottery report does not recommend any further work, a study of the ceramic assemblage against the Site stratigraphy and plans could help refine the dating sequence and possibly elucidate further on the Late Bronze Age, Roman and Early Medieval activity on Site
- A study of the faunal remains against the refined dating could elucidate on temporal and spatial farming and husbandry practices taking place on Site
- A comparison of the surviving structures against other sites may define the construction technique further and possibly date typologically
- Further analysis of the archaeological features between Post Built Structure 2 and 3, and that of Post Built Structure 1 may define more structural elements relating to the Early Medieval occupation
- Bayesian radiocarbon dating of suitable material from the Post Built Structures may refine a date for the occupation, although the potential is limited due to the low volumes of material recovered. Small amounts of cereal grains or seeds and some small charcoal fragments were recovered from contexts (21385), (21204) and (21421) which could be suitable for radiocarbon dating.
- Strontium and potentially DNA analysis of SK01 from the evaluation would clarify the provenance of the individual and should be included with the final report
- Synthesis of the evaluation data into the final report
- A detailed assessment of the results against relevant HERDS objectives 14.1.2
