Stoke Mandeville AGT1 East (Phase 1), Buckinghamshire: Archaeological Trial Trenching

The trial trenching comprised 88 trenches, of which 84 were c. 30m long and 1.8m wide. Three trenches (Trenches 78, 79 and 85) were 50m long and 1.8m wide, and one trench (Trench 62) was extended south-east to be 38m long and 1.8m wide. Trench 60 was extended 9m perpendicular to its length at the SW end. The trenches represented a 3% sample of the area. They were positioned to test geophysical anomalies and to provide an even coverage. 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. All archaeological features or deposits in the trenches were cleaned, excavated and recorded using Albion Archaeology's pro formae sheets where possible. 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. Albion Archaeology was commissioned to undertake a programme of trial trenching in order to allow the LPA to properly 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 4th January and 5th February 2022. The 88 trial trenches revealed 101 archaeological features, only seven of which produced any dating evidence. The features primarily comprised a series of small, largely undated ditches (on varying alignments) and pits spread across large sections of the PDA; they are likely to be the remains of former field systems. Features in the north-west of the area may have been related to the potential Romano-British site to the west, seen on the geophysical survey. A concentration of more substantial features in the south field was tenuously dated to the late Bronze Age/early Iron Age. No settlement foci were identified. Although dating of the features is uncertain, there is nothing to suggest that they were of post-medieval or modern origin. Ridge and furrow cultivation was also evidenced across the entirety of th site. A small field at the south end contained extant ridge and furrow earthworks on two perpendicular alignments.