Series: Network Archaeology unpublished report series

Analysis of the historical mapping showed that Nags Head lane was bounded on either side by open fields up until 1926 when a row of terraced houses were built along its eastern side. Subsequent development took place around 1969 when a row of larger houses were built to the north of these earlier terraces, and again in around 1994 when a row of houses was constructed along the western side of the lane. The evaluation trenches were targeted on key areas within the PDA including the footprint of the proposed new residential building and areas of associated landscaping and access construction. The evaluation was carried out by two archaeologists on March 1st 2012. The evaluation revealed no features, deposits or artefacts of archaeological significance and, whilst the results were negative even a negative result serves to enhanced our understanding of the local archaeological record. The deposit of gravelly yellow clay which was present in each of the trenches (101, 201 and 301) probably represented a layer of made ground deposited during the construction of the houses along the east side of Nags Head Lane in the 1920s. Although no archaeological features were identified during this evaluation it is possible that remains may exist in areas not covered by this evaluation, such as further to the east in the garden area, where there appeared to have been no previous development. The potential for the planned development to impact upon the archaeological resource is deemed to be low.

This project began with the pre-determination archaeological evaluation, undertaken in 2006, of the proposed construction of a two storey house. The proposed development area occupies a narrow backplot within the angle created by Church Street and Well Street in the heart of the Buckingham conservation area, approximately 400m to the south-west of Buckingham town centre (NGR 469480 233680). The evaluation comprised a single archaeological trench dug at the north-west end of the garden plot. Following the results of the evaluation Buckinghamshire County Archaeological Service requested that a formal excavation be undertaken prior to construction and a watching brief be maintained during construction. The key findings of the evaluation were a postulated phase of landscaping prior to construction of a limestone surface incorporating a possible drain of medieval or later date, and a deep make-up layer dating to the post-medieval period. Fragments of butchered animal bone found within the limestone surface, suggest its possible use as a butchery area. The limestone surface is significant in that it indicates settlement and/or industrial activity in an area which on the evidence of Speeds map of 1610 had previously been thought to be agricultural land at this time. Overlying the limestone surface was a deep make-up layer, which together with a deposit of unknown origin at the east end of the trench, probably represent a second phase of landscaping at the site. These layers are probably related to construction of the surrounding houses in the eighteenth century. Following the results of the evaluation Buckinghamshire County Archaeological Service requested that a formal excavation be undertaken prior to construction and a watching brief be maintained during construction. The excavation confirmed the presence of the limestone surface and revealed that human activity had been taking place within the area of the PDA since the 11th century. This activity appeared to be most intense during the 12th century where the surface appears to have been used as an external yard. Little of the animal bone recovered during the excavation showed evidence of butchery and it is thought more likely that animals were being kept for their wool, the production of which is synonymous with Buckingham. It appeared that this yard was short-lived and in a state of disuse by the end of the 12th century. After the 12th century it appears that only limited activity was taking place within the PDA during the 14th and 16th centuries before activity increased again during the 19th century. The watching brief revealed that the limestone surface extended northwest towards Church Street although the full extent was not revealed. No further features were revealed during the watching brief.

The proposed development site, at 330-336 London Road, High Wycombe is believed to be the location of Bowden Mill, a water mill with thirteenth century origins. There were two mills at the site from the eighteenth or nineteenth century until the late twentieth century. Warehouses currently stand on the site, and it is proposed that these will be demolished to make way for a new superstore, service yard, car park, and access roads. A desk based assessment was undertaken in 2001 to consider the archaeological implications of the proposed development and to provide a basis for further stages of investigation. Following this, two evaluation trenches were excavated on the site. The evaluation trenches were positioned to assess the depth and level of survival of known post-medieval building remains, as well as to look for any evidence of any medieval mill remains. The evaluation successfully located buried remains of several post-medieval mill buildings and watercourses identified by the desk based assessment. The absence of any surviving medieval remains is probably due to the substantial post-medieval development of the site.

Archaeological evaluation carried out on land at Swavesey in February 2019 in response to an archaeological condition on a planning permission for the construction of residential development at the site. The site comprises approximately 1ha of land and is currently occupied by a single house and its associated garden. Two trenches exposed late medieval and post-medieval features.

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Network Archaeology Limited as part of a planning application submission for a residential development on land adjacent to 6 Scothern Road, Scothern, Lincolnshire. Excavation of foundation trenches during the development impacted to 1.1m below the ground surface. Observation of the vertical stratigraphy revealed in the sides of the footings revealed a sequence of modern topsoil, two intercutting pit-like features, and natural subsoil. The pits are believed to be relatively recent in date, and may represent previous construction work on the plot, including tree removal. In lieu of any other remains, it may be assumed that the plot has been occupied by a garden for much of its history. No archaeological remains capable of furthering any current research agenda were revealed. A single artefact was collected: a slate stylus found within the topsoil.

An Archaeological Watching Brief undertaken during improvements and landscaping at the junction of the A1 at Stibbington, Cambridgeshire.

A watching brief was maintained on ground disturbing activities while construction work on the Stoke Hammond and Linslade Western By-pass on the A4146 Hemel Hempstead to Milton Keynes road was in progress. Elsewhere on the route, in Soulbury and Linslade parishes, archaeological excavation and evaluation trenching were carried out prior to the construction, a large Iron Age to early Roman site was excavated and a smaller site of similar age was discovered, 2km to the north, during the watching brief and excavated. Medieval and post-medieval remains at Chelmscote Manor Farm were also investigated. Areas of ridge and furrow and former field boundaries were recorded in Stoke Hammond parish during the watching brief. Recording of extant historic field boundaries was undertaken as part of the watching brief.

During September 2005, Network Archaeology Ltd undertook an archaeological evaluation on a proposed swimming pool at Abbey Farmhouse, Lavendon Milton Keynes (Figure 1, NGR: 490260 253460) on behalf of Steven Jensen. The work was undertaken in accordance with a brief prepared by Milton Keynes Council Issued 26 July 2005. The natural geological layer exposed by the trial trench consisted of 'cornbrash'; a thin band of limestone formed during the Jurassic geological period. The small area exposed in plan by the trial trench of apparently regular formations of limestone fragments led the excavator to suggest that they may have been the result of foundations for a building. Cornbrash fragments were sometimes used in medieval building in the packing of foundations. However, as the section when excavated did not appear regular as it had done in plan, was not substantial enough to have served as a foundation for a building, was not found in conjunction with any archaeological finds whatsoever, and as the surrounding natural soils consisted of cornbrash, it was decided at site meeting with the Milton Keynes archaeological officer that the excavated section represented natural deposits and that no archaeological remains were present.

A field reconnaissance survey was conducted along the entire 5km course of the proposed pipeline. No structured fieldwalking took place, as none of the land was in a suitable condition. The DBA revealed sixty-two sites of archaeological importance, thirty-eight of which are legally protected. Four of these sites would be directly impacted by the pipeline and the impact on another five is uncertain. Field reconnaissance survey along the entire course of the proposed pipeline identified twenty eight sites of local importance (two of which were corroborated desk-based sites). The sites include building footings, areas of landscaping & ornamental trees, trackways, roads, holloways and a drain. Thirty-five boundaries were also recorded by the surveys, thirteen of which have been counted as sites. Two desk-based sites (a nursery and a boundary stone), lying on the course of the proposed pipeline were not corroborated by the field survey. The pipeline will have an adverse impact on twenty-seven of the sites and an uncertain impact on one site

An archaeological monitoring exercise (watching brief) was conducted by Network Archaeology during groundworks in the churchyard of All Saints Church, Wellingore, Lincolnshire, between November 2021 and February 2022. The work involved monitoring the excavation of service trenches for the installation of water supply and waste removal for a new toilet, constructed within the north aisle of the church. The watching brief recorded a total of 43 articulated skeletons and large quantities of disarticulated human bone. All the human remains were securely and discretely stored in the church at the end of each working day, as agreed with Rev. Godbold (Rector) and John Ridler (Church Warden). Following consultations with the church authorities, all the recovered remains were reburied within the churchyard. Part of the foundations of the north and south aisles of the church were exposed by the excavation of the trench but were otherwise not impacted. Two medieval walls were discovered to the north of the church tower, possibly forming an early boundary of the churchyard.