Data from a Trial Trench Evaluation at Bishopstone, Aylesbury Embankment, Buckinghamshire, 2019-2022 (HS2 Phase One)
High Speed Two Ltd., L-P : Archaeology HS2, 2025. https://doi.org/10.5284/1135508. 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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High Speed Two Ltd.
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Tel: 08081 434 434
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 4705
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1135508
- How to cite using this DOI
Introduction
This collection comprise image, text and spreadsheet data from a Trial Trench Evaluation at Land East of Bishopstone (Between Two Streams), Aylesbury Embankment, Buckinghamshire. The work was undertaken by L-P : Archaeology HS2 between 2019 and 2022.
The content of the collection includes the site records produced during the evaluation (context, trench sheets, registers and archaeological drawings) and the archaeological photos. The site archive, comprising written, drawn, and digital records, along with finds and environmental materials, will be deposited with a museum archive in accordance with HS2 policy.
Project Summary
Trial trench investigation provides the most suitable method for the recovery of archaeological evidence to inform the research objectives:
- Refine understanding of the Palaeolithic potential of deposits beyond river valleys. Was further material recovered from the trial trenching following on from the field walking investigations?
- Identifying settlement location and developing models for settlement patterns from Mesolithic, Neolithic and Early Bronze age. Did further evidence from the trial trenching compliment the investigations from the field walking?
- Can we identify regional patterns in the form and location of Late Bronze age settlements across the route and their associated differences in landscape organisation and enclosure?
- Assess the evidence for regional and cultural distinctiveness along the length of the route in the Romano-British period, with particular regard to the different settlement types encountered along the route.
- Explore how the evidence along the route can inform us about the end of Roman Britain and attempt to identify any continuity in settlement patterns between the end of the Romano- British period and the Early Medieval period.
- Investigate the different forms of settlement (nucleated and dispersed) and associated field types (open fields and enclosed fields) that developed from the middle to late Saxon period. What were the key contributing social, economic and environmental factors?
- Address emerging questions relating to nucleated Medieval rural settlement and rural life from the 11th to mid- 14th century (nucleated village sites in champion areas).
The General Aims of the trial trenching were to:
- Characterise the extent and nature of archaeological remains and establish the nature of underlying superficial geology and the depth of the water table.
- Establish the level of preservation across the site, and to note the level of destruction from bioturbation and farming practices.
- Establish the level of intercutting on site.
- Investigate and characterise the potential areas of late Prehistoric/ Romano- British activity on site, as well as the possible Medieval or later banks and ridge and furrow identified by LiDAR survey.
- Contribute to the delivery of Generic Written Scheme of Investigation (GWSI) Historic Environment Research and Delivery Strategy (HERDS) Specific Objectives.
Re-Use Value Statement
The datasets created in this project were used to prepare future investigation at Bishopstone. The final datasets will be integrated into those that will be produced during the new mitigation works.
