Church of St Peter and St Paul, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire An Archaeological Watching Brief for the Parish of Great Missenden by Andrew Taylor Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd Site Code GMC01/14 March 2001
Summary Site name: Church of St Peter and St Paul, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire Grid reference: SP 9000 0101 Site activity: Watching brief Date and duration of project: 7th and 8th March 2001 Site code: GMC01/14 Summary of results: No deposits of archaeological interest were observed. Several inhumation burials, some in brick vaults, and disarticulated human bone was noted. Monuments identified: None Location and reference of archive: The site archive is presently held by Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd, 47 49 De Beauvoir Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5NR. It is anticipated that the archive will be deposited with Buckinghamshire County Museum Service in due course. This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder Report edited/checked by: Steve Ford 27/3/01 Melanie Hall-Torrance 30/03/01 i
Introduction Church of St Peter and St Paul, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire An Archaeological Watching Brief by Andrew Taylor Report 01/14 This report documents the results of an archaeological watching brief carried out at the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire (SP 9000 0101) (Fig. 1). The work was commissioned by Ms Janet Frost of Alan J Frost Architects, Windmill House, Wingrave, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP22 4DD, on behalf of the parish of Great Missenden. A faculty has been granted by the Oxford Diocese for new drains between an existing septic tank and new facilities within the church. The archaeological advisor to the Diocese recommended that the drain trenches should be subject to archaeological monitoring. The fieldwork was undertaken by Steve Ford between 7th and 8th March 2001. The site code is GMC01/14. Location, topography and geology The drainage trenches are located along parts of the north, south and west sides of the church (Figs 2 and 3). These areas of the churchyard are relatively flat and lie at a height of 141m above Ordnance Datum. This level ground is a product of terracing and infilling of the steeply sloping land for the site if the church. According to geological maps (BGS 1946), the underlying geology is middle chalk, which comprises a white chalk with few flint deposits. This deposit was observed in some sections of the trench, with some natural clay-filled hollows (Fig. 3). Archaeological background The archaeological potential of the site is highlighted by the fact that village churches usually lie close to the centre of medieval settlements and can often have late Saxon origins. In this case the main core of the church is of medieval date and was rebuilt in the early 14th century (VCH 1908, 351). It is documented in the 12th century and the font is of a 12th century style (ibid. 352; 353). The village of Great Missenden is located on the valley floor, approximately 400m to the north-west of the church, and it is unclear whether this represents a shift of settlement over time and is perhaps related to the development of Missenden Abbey, or whether the church has always been peripheral to the core of the settlement. 1
Objectives and methodology The purpose of the watching brief was to observe, record and excavate any archaeological deposits affected by the digging of the new drain trench. The trench for the new drain was to be investigated for any archaeological remains between the existing septic tank and the kitchen (Fig. 3). All spoilheaps were to be monitored for finds. There was no intention to excavate, record or remove any late post-medieval inhumation burials. Results The trenches were made up of several segments, which are labelled A F in Figure 2. They were all c. 0.60m wide but varied in depth across the site. To the south (A), the trench was 0.40m deep, with up to 0.30m of turf and made ground. To the west (B), the trench was between 0.70m and 1.00m deep. The depth in this area can be attributed to the increase in made ground, consisting of a calcareous clay and some dumped brick, beneath the turf. In the northern part of the site (C, D, E) the trenches were between 0.60m and 0.85m deep and it was only in these sections that the natural geology was revealed. Certain and probable human burials and disarticulated bone were observed at various locations, but mostly to the north of the church. The western trench just exposed the top of a post-medieval brick vault, and possibly another human burial. The cuts for these burials were not observed within the trench sides, suggesting that this part of the churchyard had been made-up in relatively recent times. A second brick vault was observed immediately adjacent to the church in Trench A. This vault was used to reinter the human bone recovered from the trenches. Trenches C, D and E revealed at least six further human burials and grave cuts could also be seen. Some of the burials retained traces of decayed wood and copperheaded nails. The only find of any archaeological interest, a prehistoric flint flake, came from the spoil heap of Trench A. It is not known if this was derived from near to the site or imported, with other made ground, from elsewhere. Finds Struck flint by Steve Ford A single, patinated struck flint was recovered from the south segment of Trench A (Fig. 3). It is not closely datable and is only broadly attributed to the Mesolithic to Bronze Age. 2
Conclusion No deposits of archaeological interest were observed and only a single artefact (a prehistoric flint flake) was recovered from the spoilheaps of the trenches. The trenches to the south and west of the church were not deep enough to expose the natural geology, where archaeological deposits cutting the bedrock might be encountered. To the north-east, the natural chalk was exposed and truncated but, apart from modern disturbance and relatively recent burials, no finds or deposits of archaeological interest were noted. References BGS, 1946, British Geological Survey, 1:50,000, Sheet 238, Solid and Drift Edition, Keyworth VCH 1908, The Victoria County History of Buckinghamshire, II, London 3
05000 SITE 04000 03000 02000 01000 SITE SP87000 88000 89000 90000 GMC01/14 Church of St Peter and St Paul, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, 2001 Figure 1. Location of site within Geat Missenden and Buckinghamshire. Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Pathfinder 1118 SP80/90 1:25000 Ordnance Survey Licence AL523324A0001
Church of St Peter and St Paul, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, 2001 N 01200 Frith Hill A413 01100 Church Lane St Peter and St Paul's Church 01000 River Misbourne A413 00900 SP89900 90000 90100 90200 0 200m Figure 2. Location of site. GMC01/14
Church of St Peter and St Paul, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, 2001 N burials chalk natural burial D (F) 01050 E drain brick vault C burial burial made ground B St Peter and St Paul's Church A septic tank A4 1 3 brick vault (reburied bones) flint flake 01000 SP89950 90000 0 90050 50m Figure 2. Plan of site showing location of service trench monitored during watching brief.. GMC01/14