Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Mr N Crank, Mr P Markham, Ms V McPake, and Ms S Shave.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the minutes of the meeting held 23 September 2021 as an accurate record.

Under item 8 – Check Road Mill would be amended to Chetwode Mill.

RESOLVED

Members of the forum the minutes of the meeting held 23 September 2021 as an accurate record.

To be presented by Dr Rachel Wood, Lead Archaeologist, Fusion.

Dr R Wood, Heritage Environment Research and Delivery (HERDS) Manager, Fusion, gave a presentation on her teams work in Buckinghamshire.

Wellwick Farm

• This was at the site of the Chiltern Tunnel. All archelogy had now been excavated and removed from site.
• Trial trenching had led to 5 mitigation areas. Findings had not matched the trial trenches.
• Findings had included:
  • A Bronze age barrow.
  • A Iron age enclosure, round house and trackway.
  • Late iron age/early Roman enclosure entrenchment.
  • A Roman mausoleum including a lead coffin burial.
  • A timber circle, 65 metres across. This sat on a natural route way with a view over the Aylesbury Vale.
• There had been a stream separating the monumental landscape from the residential occupation. The stream was now a trench.

St Mary Church

• St Marys Church was a Norman structure that had fell out of use in the 1880s.
• Works had disproven the local myth the military had blown up remaining structure for practice.
• Approximately 2500 articulated remains had been remained from the site.
• The site featured on Digging for Britain episode 2 which could be found on BBC i-Player. There were also YouTube videos showing different aspects of the site.
• A temporary compound had been built for the works. These included:
  • Welfare huts.
  • A haul road.
  • Osteological labs for washing, drying and assessment of human remains.
  • A tent over church and church yard including the field museum area which had been open to the public.
• Excavation of the church site had included
  • The exhumation of human burials
  • The discovery of another building dating back to Saxon times
  • A Roman mausoleum including 3 statues.    
• In the wider area excavation at Coney Field had uncovered:
  • A warrener’s lodge
  • Evidence of medieval industry, possibility fulling - the processing of sheep’s wool.
  • A possible mill as listed in Domesday Book including evidence of the water course being altered.
  • Environmental samples had been collected but would not be analysed at this time.

Management of findings

• Dr Wood’s team had produced digital and paper records of their findings for HS2 but other companies would be appointed to deal with analysis and archiving. Dr Wood believed these contracts were now out for tender. The Chairman asked Ms Alqasar to contact Laura Lett for more information. ACTION Ms Alqasar.
• Dr Wood was now back office based producing final reports. Once these were complete her secondment would end. Other archaeologists had been provided by companies such as LP Archaeology and MOLA.
• It was explained that for repeated features such as tiles the best samples would be kept. It was not necessary to keep 100% of features such as columns but features like windows would be kept.

·         Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society

·         Conservation Board for the Chilterns AONB

·         Buckinghamshire Conservation Trust

·         Archaeological Officer – Buckinghamshire

·         Archaeological Officer – Milton Keynes

·         Heritage Officer

·         Planning Officer

·         Historic England

·         National Trust

·         Milton Keynes Heritage Association

·         Museums

·         Oxford Diocesan Advisory Committee

Gary Marshall – Buckinghamshire Archaeology Society (BAS)

• BAS presenting an award to promote good quality reporting at the Buckinghamshire Local History Network meeting 1 October 2022. Further details were available on their website.
• The annual journal would be published in May – The Kings of Brill, Michael Farley.
• There was an active archaeology group working at Great Linford Park.
• The society were looking at church graffiti and details of how to record and report to Buckinghamshire Council was available on their website.
• Active arch group – currently recording and ex and Linford Park. Looking at recording church graffiti with details on website of how to record and send on to BC.

David Wilkinson – Historic England (HE)

• A S42 application was underway for the Quarendon site for Young Archaeologists. This would fit with maintaining the site and development of new cycle routes in the area.
• There continued to be a steady stream of planning applications to consult on.
• HE was currently involved in a case of damage to scheduled monuments but could not give further details while investigate was still underway.

Wendy Morrison – Conservation Board for the Chilterns AONB

• The Beacons of the Past project would come to an end in September 2022 following a previous extension. The LiDAR portal would remain live for further 5 years.
• There were currently 3 hillforts within Buckinghamshire being worked on.
  • Cholesbury Park - Tree works were underway to support removal from the at risk list. A full geological survey would take place. Councillor Williams had expressed in visiting the site and Ms Morrison would arrange this. ACTION Ms Morrison.
  • Sevenways Plain, Burnwood Beeches - An open date was planned for April pending SSI consent. An augmented reality (AR) app was being developed for the site to show different stages of its lifespan including the Iron Age wood, Bronze Age hillfort and WWI encampment.
  • Desborough Castle – there would be a small community excavation. It was acknowledged this was a high-risk location but the benefits were important for the community involvement.
• Bedlow Cross - Lord Carrington was getting permission to date the cross, the first step for preservation. This would be discussed at a conservation panel later in April. 

Paul Rhymes – Buckinghamshire Council Heritage and Archaeology Team

• Mr Rhymes referred to the report circulated with the agenda.
• Mr Rhymes would be leaving Buckinghamshire Council shortly to join Oxford X.

Eliza Alqasar - on behalf of Philip Markham, Senior Archaeology Officer, Buckinghamshire Council.

• Ms Alqasar referred to the report circulated with the report.

Any other business

• It was noted that the emergency recording fund had not been used since 2013 but forum members continued to pay in. Ms Alqasar explained it would not be possible to use the funds towards the excavation of the Buckingham skeletons but other negotiations were underway to ensure works took place.
• Councillor Chapple had been confirmed at the Buckinghamshire Council Heritage Champion. Updated from the Heritage Champion would be included as an agenda item for future  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

29 September 2022, 10am

29 September 2022