Agenda item

To be presented by Julia Wise.

Julia Wise, Historic Environment Records Officer gave a presentation on the aerial investigation and mapping project. The Aerial investigation project is being carried out in the north of Buckinghamshire by Skylarkeology on behalf of Historic England. The project funded by Historic England commenced in December 2021 with the first stage to be completed by August 2023. Approval had been granted for a follow up project looking south at the central area of Buckinghamshire.

• The presentation showed the map with progress to date including areas which had been investigated like the east and south of Bletchley and Winslow. Work had started on the west side by Buckingham and the bulk of the mapping was medieval furrow. The surviving ridge and furrow were standout areas nationally.
• A 1946 RAF vertical aerial photo of Soulburry ridge and furrow corrugated earthworks was highlighted.
• Pictures of Stoke Hammond showed crop mark site with bronze age ring ditch which had been ploughed out to show the remains of a barrow surrounding ditch. There were mortuary enclosures left with surrounding ditches. A more detailed crop mark photo highlighted the geology coming though with glacial areas and features from the last ice age.
• The photos from Whaddon Chase highlighted a ditched enclosure and private deer park in the medieval period. There were pockets of woodland remaining which largely fell in the 19th century.
• Pictures of Little Horwood highlighted a hillfort on a slight ridge with two double ditches and a single bank enclosure. Iron age enclosures at Briars Bank Farm, Great Horwood had been discovered with a Roman road towards Buckingham.  
• A shrunken settlement at Beachampton showed the surviving ridge and furrow from a medieval settlement. The earthworks around the present village settlement were more extensive than previously discovered.
• RAF Stoke Hammond was used as a World War Two telecoms and radio centre site linked to Bletchley Park. The pictures highlighted the surviving buildings and many aerial masts within the perimeter fencing. The telecoms site was constructed in 1942 and closed in 1973. The structure from the compound remained in use by the MOD however, the aerial masts have been removed. Numerous small huts were erected alongside roads prior to D-Day in order to gather ammunition and provide fuel depots.                                    

The next stage of the project would focus on the middle of Aylesbury Vale and one of the aims of the project was to inform advisory and planning services to identify historic sites easily. The project would also inform sites which could be added to the local heritage list. Historic England have provided the project free of charge for the Council to use its research.

It was highlighted there was already good aerial coverage of the county particularly in the southern areas due to the ANOB project. The rest of the county was covered by the Environment Agency LIDAR agency information which was available for free online. There would be no new flights commissioned to capture further aerial data.

A member commented the county could promote its connection with World War training camps by mapping walking trails for residents and visitors. Further information relating to the war camps and sites was being revealed due to the official secrets cycle expiring.

There was a certain element of overlap with Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire aerial projects. Historic England were using the current project to look at similar projects in Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes.