Stoke Mandeville AGT1 East (Phase 2), Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Trial Trenching

The trial trenching took place between 18th August and 23rd September 2022 and comprised 47 trenches in total. An initial 42 no. 1.8m-wide trenches were opened, representing a 3% sample of the area - After consultation three contingency trenches were added to assess the extent of the remains identified in the initial trenches. The trenches were positioned to test geophysical anomalies and to provide an even coverage of the remainder of the area Trenches were set out by dGPS survey and tied into the national grid. They were opened using a mechanical excavator fitted with a flat-edged bucket, operated by an experienced driver under close archaeological supervision. The spoil from each trench was scanned for artefacts. All investigation and recording was carried out by experienced Albion Archaeology staff. In order to test for the presence of Mesolithic artefacts, 50 litres of topsoil from each end of every other trench were spread out on a board and checked for flints. However, none were recovered. All archaeological features or deposits in the trenches were cleaned, excavated and recorded using Albion Archaeology's pro formae sheets. All deposits were assigned a unique context number commencing at 100 for Trench 1, 200 for Trench 2 etc. Each trench was subsequently drawn and photographed as appropriate. The trenches and features were surveyed by dGPS survey and tied into the national grid Albion Archaeology was commissioned to undertake a programme of trial trenching in order to consider the effect of the application on the significance of non-designated heritage assets of archaeological interest, in line with NPPF policy 194 (MHCLG 2021). The trial trenching took place between 18th August and 23rd September 2022. The 47 trial trenches revealed 89 archaeological features, only 22 of which produced any dating evidence. They majority of the features were related to a late Iron Age/early Roman settlement in the north of PDA. It was characterised by ditched enclosures, largely rectilinear in form, along with a possible palisaded boundary and droveway. A small number of discrete features, including a possible well, were identified largely within the 'core' enclosures. To the south of the settlement a series of small, largely undated ditches (on varying alignments) and occasional pits spread across the rest of the site. Dating of these dispersed features is uncertain. Two ditches contained post-medieval pottery but there is nothing to suggest that the majority were of post-medieval or modern origin, and they are presumed to pre-date the furrows that were present across the site. Additional trenches opened in the Phase 1 field (Trenches 46 and 47) revealed ditches and postholes but no dating evidence. They are likely to be related to the adjacent features identified in the Phase 1 trenching and tentatively dated to the late Bronze Age/early Iron Age. Ridge and furrow cultivation was also evidenced across the entirety of the site. A small field at the south end contained extant ridge and furrow earthworks on two perpendicular alignments.