Chilton House, Chilton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: archaeological excavation

The investigation initially involved monitoring of all areas of intrusive groundworks, such as ground reductions and the excavations of service trenches and soakaways. In the even tan area of 13m x 7m was fully excavated archaeologically, and an additional area was surveyed using twin cart-mounted Bartington Grad601-2 fluxgate gradiometers. The monitoring unexpectedly revealed a substantial below-ground stone-built structure or medieval date, 5.7m wide and which geophysical survey revealed extend to 13.5m long west to east. It was accessed via a ramp at the west end, the centre (and presumably east end) was level. Construction can be dated to the 12th or 13th century and it remained in use into the 14th and possibly as late as the 16th century when any superstructure was thoroughly demolished and the ?cellar backfilled. A few features predating the structure could not be dated but might be Saxon or even Roman.