Phase 2 Evaluation, Land East of Willen Road, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes

LEWR22: The evaluation fieldwork comprised the excavation of 20 trenches (Fig. 2): " 1no. 50m by 1.8m trenches; " 6no. 30m by 1.8m trenches; " 2no. 25m by 1.8m trenches; " 7no. 15m by 1.8m trenches; " 4no. 10m by 1.8m trenches. The trenches were located to target potential remains of the Caldecote medieval settlement in the area, providing a representative sample of the south-eastern portion of the Site which was not accessible for trenching during the first phase of evaluation. Trenches were set out on OS National Grid co-ordinates using Leica GPS and scanned for live services by trained CA staff using CAT and genny equipment, in accordance with the CA Safe System of Work for avoiding underground services. Overburden was stripped from the trenches by a mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless grading bucket. All machining was conducted under archaeological supervision to the top of the natural substrate, or the level at which archaeological features were first encountered. Archaeological features/deposits were investigated, planned and recorded in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual. Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential and samples were taken in accordance with CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking and Processing of Environmental and Other Samples from Archaeological Sites. Artefacts were processed in accordance with CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately after Excavation. CA will make arrangements with Milton Keynes Museum (MILSH:2022.104) for the deposition of the project archive and, subject to agreement with the legal landowner(s), the artefact collection. A digital archive will be also be deposited with the Archaeology Data Service (ADS). This archive will be compiled in accordance with the ADS Instructions for Depositors (2022). The archives (museum and digital) will be prepared and deposited in accordance with Standard and guidance for the creation, compilation, transfer and deposition of archaeological archives (CIfA 2014; updated October 2020). WINP25: Twelve trenches, numbered 21 - 32 to follow on from the previous 2025 phase of evaluation (CA 2025a), were planned to be excavated within the Site; however, only eleven trenches were ultimately excavated with Trench 23 being omitted due to mature vegetation. Trench 21 was moved several metres north-west due to the presence of trees and scrub in the vicinity of the originally agreed location. Trench 22 was shortened and moved several metres south-west due to nearby animal burrows and dense woodland and scrub. Trench 25 was moved several metres south due to on-site constraints. Trench 24 was moved several metres south-west, as well as being shortened, and Trench 27 was moved several metres east due to two possible buried cables being identified during CAT & genny scanning in the areas of the original trench locations. Trenches were set out on OS National Grid co-ordinates using Leica GPS. Overburden was stripped from the trenches by a mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless grading bucket. All machining was conducted under archaeological supervision to the top of the natural substrate, which was the level at which archaeological features were first encountered. Archaeological features/deposits were investigated, planned and recorded in accordance with CA Technical Manual 1: Fieldwork Recording Manual. Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential, and no deposits were identified that required sampling. In April 2025, Cotswold Archaeology carried out an archaeological evaluation on land east of Willen Road, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes. A total of 20 trenches were excavated as part of a second phase of archaeological evaluation of the site, following from a previous geophysical survey in 2020 and first phase of trial trenching in 2021.