Archaeological observation investigation and recording at ... · MOLA was commissioned by Mr J...

MOLA Northampton MOLA Project Manager: Anthony Maull Kent House Accession No.: AYBCM2017.40 30 Billing Road Planning Ref: 16/02259/APP Northampton NGR: SP 76540 11548 NN1 5DQ 01604 809 800 www.mola.org.uk

[email protected]

Archaeological observation investigation and recording at

Dinton Castle, Dinton Buckinghamshire March - April 2017

Report No. 17/76

Author: Claire Finn

Illustrators: Joanne Clawley, Claire Finn

http://www.mola.org.uk/

mailto:[email protected]

MOLA Northampton is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with company registration number 8727508 and charity registration number 1155198. Registered office: Mortimer Wheeler House, 46 Eagle Wharf Road, London N1 7ED.



Report No. 17/76

Quality control and sign off:

Issue No.

Date approved: Checked by: Verified by: Approved by: Reason for Issue:

1 03/06/17 R Atkins A Maull M Holmes Draft for client review

Author: Claire Finn Illustrators: Joanne Clawley, Claire Finn

MOLA Northampton 2017

MOLA

Kent House 30 Billing Road

Northampton NN1 5DQ

01604 809 800 www.mola.org.uk

[email protected]



MOLA i

STAFF

Project Manager: Anthony Maull Cert Arch

Text: Claire Finn BA MA PhD

Illustrations: Joanne Clawley BA MSc

Claire Finn

Fieldwork: Anthony Maull

John Walford BSc MSc

Yvonne Wolframm-Murray BSc PhD

Pottery: Paul Blinkhorn BTech

Clay tobacco pipe Tora Hylton

Ceramic building materials: Rob Atkins BSocSc Dip Arch MCIfA

DINTON CASTLE, DINTON

MOLA Report 17/76 AYBCM 2017.40 ii

OASIS REPORT FORM

PROJECT DETAILS OASIS No: molanort1-287936

Project title Watching Brief at Dinton Castle, Dinton, Buckinghamshire, March - April 2017

Short description A programme of archaeological observation, investigation and recording was carried out at Dinton Castle, Dinton, Buckinghamshire. The works, which observed service runs and ground interventions on the site, formed part of an approved planning application for restoration and refurbishment of the 18th-century folly into a residential dwelling. An Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery was excavated at the site in 1994. Archaeological features identified during the current works included a limestone wall, two small gullies, four post-medieval pits, a section of metalled footpath trackway and a disturbed inhumation burial. The human remains are thought to be charnel from the Saxon cemetery which were disturbed and reburied during construction of the folly.

Project type Watching brief

Previous work Archaeological building recording (Wolframm-Murray 2010), Heritage Statement (Strawbridge 2016), cemetery excavation (Hunn et al 1994)

Current land use Derelict building and grounds Future work Unknown

Monument type and period

Folly (built in 1769) Grade II* listed, post-medieval pits, post-medieval wall, post-medieval trackway, undated ditches, disturbed inhumation burial

Significant finds None PROJECT LOCATION County Buckinghamshire Site address Dinton Castle, Oxford Road, Dinton, Buckinghamshire, HP17 8TX Easting Northing SP 76540 11548 Area (sq m/ha) 0.4ha Height aOD c 110m aOD PROJECT CREATORS Organisation MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) Project brief originator Buckinghamshire County Archaeological Service Project Design originator Yvonne Wolframm-Murray (MOLA) Director/Supervisor Anthony Maull, John Walford & Yvonne Wolframm-Murray (MOLA) Project Manager Anthony Maull (MOLA) Sponsor or funding body Owner, Jaime Fernandez PROJECT DATE Start date 31/03/2017 End date 05/04/2017 ARCHIVES Location Contents Physical

AYBCM 2017.40 Watching brief forms, permatrace plans Paper Digital Client report PDF BIBLIOGRAPHY Unpublished client report

Title Archaeological observation, investigation and recording at Dinton Castle, Dinton, Buckinghamshire , March - April 2017

Serial title & volume 17/76 Author(s) Claire Finn Page numbers 22 pages text and illustrations Date June 2017


MOLA Report 17/76 AYBCM 2017.40 iii

Contents 1 INTRODUCTION

2 BACKGROUND

2.1 Location, topography and geology 2.2 The history of Dinton Castle 2.3 Historical and archaeological background

3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

4 METHODOLOGY

5 THE EXCAVATED EVIDENCE

6 FINDS

6.1 Medieval pottery by Paul Blinkhorn 6.2 Clay tobacco pipe by Tora Hylton 6.3 Ceramic building material by Rob Atkins 6.4 Other finds

7 DISCUSSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX: Context inventory


MOLA Report 17/76 AYBCM 2017.40 iv

Figures Front Cover: The site before excavation work, looking north-west

Fig 1: Site location

Fig 2: Dinton Castle, looking north

Fig 3: The folly from the west

Fig 4: Close-up of the folly from the south

Fig 5: Plan of the site and excavated features shown with cemetery features (Hunn et al 1994)

Fig 6: Gully [103], crossing Trench 1 on an east-west orientation

Fig 7: Site of disturbed burial (Trench 2A), looking west

Fig 8: Plan of Trench 2A and 2B

Fig 9: In situ charnel in Trench 2A

Fig 10: Section through pits and cobbled surface in Trench 2

Fig 11: Metalled surface (213), looking south

Fig 12: Limestone wall (305), looking north-west

Fig 13: Section and photograph of the ditch [306] and limestone wall (305)

Fig 14: Plan of Trench 3

Fig 15: Section and photograph of pit [404] within the treatment plant Trench 4

Fig 16: Modern glass saucer from post-medieval pit [208]

Fig 17: Postcard of Dinton Castle, date unknown, supplied by Daphne Hill via the Buckinghamshire Family History Society (BucksFHS) (http://www.bucksfhs.org.uk/index.php/bucks-pictures/199-dinton/detail/813-dincastle)

MOLA Report 17/76 AYBCM 2017.40 Page 1 of 22



Abstract A programme of archaeological observation, investigation and recording was carried out at Dinton Castle, Dinton, Buckinghamshire. The works, which observed service runs and ground interventions on the site, formed part of an approved planning application for restoration and refurbishment of the 18th-century folly into a residential dwelling. An Anglo-Saxon inhumation cemetery was excavated at the site in 1994. Archaeological features identified during the current works included a limestone wall, two small gullies, four post-medieval pits, a section of metalled footpath trackway and a disturbed inhumation burial. The human remains are thought to be charnel from the Saxon cemetery which were disturbed and reburied during construction of the folly.

1 INTRODUCTION MOLA was commissioned by Mr J Fernandez to carry out a programme of archaeological observation, investigation, recording, publication and archiving at Dinton Castle, Dinton, Buckinghamshire (NGR SP 76540 11548, Fig 1). A planning application has been approved for the restoration and refurbishment of an 18th-century folly as an accessible, utilitarian building and for change of use to a dwelling (Planning App. 16/02259/APP, Listed Building Consent 16/02261/ALB).

Phil Markham, Senior Archaeological Officer with the Buckinghamshire County Archaeological Service (BCAS), had advised that a programme of archaeological investigation, recording, publication and archiving should be undertaken in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF; DCLG 2012).

The archaeological work was carried out in accordance with an approved Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI), which was prepared by MOLA to describe the proposed methodology to be undertaken for the archaeological works (MOLA 2017).

2 BACKGROUND 2.1 Location, topography and geology The development area lies c450m north of Dinton village and c4km south-west of

Aylesbury. The folly is situated on a ridge and is surrounded by trees and arable fields to its west, east and north. The Aylesbury to Thame Road (A418, Aylesbury Road) is located on its south-east side.

The area lies at c110m above Ordnance Datum (aOD) on the high point of a south-west to north-east-aligned ridge which falls away to the north towards the River Thame and south to the stream and village of Ford. The underlying geology lies on the border of two formations which are Whitchurch Sand Formation sandstone and Purbeck Group limestone and argillaceous rocks (BGS 2017). The soil is Aberford Association loam over limestone.

Scale 1:500

© Crown Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.Licence Number 100047514

Site location Fig 1

Site locationExcavated area

0 25m



2.2 The history of Dinton Castle A Heritage Assessment for the site has recently been undertaken by MOLA

(Strawbridge 2016) and previously a building recording survey was carried out in 2009 (Wolframm-Murray 2010). HER information pertinent to the site was summarised by Buckinghamshire County Archaeological Service (Markham 2016). The following historical background is compiled from these documents.

Dinton Castle is a Grade II* Listed Building located beside the Aylesbury to Thame Road (A 418, Oxford Road), near Dinton (Figs 2-4). It was built in 1769 by Sir John Vanhattern to house his collection of fossils, many of which are visible worked into the fabric of the building (Fig 4). Dinton Castle is located a short distance north-east from Dinton Hall and was built on a ridge with the aim to be seen from the grounds of the Hall as an ‘eyecatcher’ (Whitelaw 1997). A cartographic survey shows it first appearing on the 1879 Ordnance Survey map. Dinton Castle does not lie within the Dinton, Wellington, Upton or Gibraltar Conservation Area (Strawbridge 2016).

The National Heritage List for England describes the listing thusly:

Sham castle or folly, now ruinous, built as eyecatcher from grounds of Dinton Hall (q.v.) in 1769 for Sir John Vanhattern. Rubblestone with stone string courses, openings mostly cement architraved, except above entrance which has stone dressed window opening. Octagonal plan with circular towers at east and west. 2 storeys, the towers carried up to 3 storeys. Doorway in remains of porch in south face of octagon with depressed 2-centred brick arch. First floor tall ogee headed windows. Strings between storeys and at base of parapet. Parapet now mostly gone. Towers have strings between storeys with blank pointed headed loop windows. Walls have many ammonite fossils from the local limestone beds. Interior brick lined. West tower had fireplaces at each storey and east tower had newel staircase (NHLE 2017; List entry number 1118308).

Dinton Castle has a castellated form typical of the period and is located on high ground, a reference to earlier defensive structures and to be within sight of Dinton Hall. The building is octagonal with projecting faceted bays in plan. There are remains of a porch on the south side. The main body of the building comprises two storeys with a half-basement. There is a single room per floor. The two turrets each house a staircase and fireplaces and are three storeys tall. The building was constructed of both limestone and red brick (Wolframm-Murray 2010).

A survey in 2009, in advance of consolidation work due to deterioration, provided a drawn internal elevation showing alternating blocks of stone and brickwork. The drawing also indicates areas of missing brickwork. Photographs were taken during the renovation and also during a visit after the works were completed and with the scaffolding removed. The structure was stabilized by replacing any missing or damaged bricks in the internal walls, the parapet and the window detailing. New wooden lintels were inserted in the windows and wooden bracketing. Second floor windows were repaired and the window above the entrance had its external carved stone ogee arch replaced. The structure included large ammonites incorporated in its external walls (Fig 4). The survey found that the lower and upper floors were originally finished differently, with the former plastered and the latter probably panelled (Wolframm-Murray 2010).



Dinton Castle, looking north Fig 2

The folly from the west Fig 3 Close-up of the folly from the south Fig 4



2.3 Historical and archaeological background A search of the Historic Environment Record (HER) for the site referred to a Neolithic pit and Neolithic to Bronze Age worked flint found in evaluation trenches for the golf course (Markham 2016). A large 3.0m wide Iron Age ditch containing pottery sherds was identified during excavation works near the castle (Hunn et al 1994). Prehistoric pottery was recovered by fieldwalking in 1981 and an undated ditch was identified during excavations for a pipeline in 1980 (Hunn et al 1994).

The ridge around Dinton Castle was also the location of an early Saxon inhumation cemetery, first identified during antiquity when the foundations for the construction of Dinton Castle were being excavated (Claxton 1792, Markham 2016). As well as perhaps 12 burials, finds made in 1769 included a glass cone beaker, spearheads and a possible sword, now in the Buckinghamshire County Museum (Claxton 1792; Hunn et al 1994). Further excavations to the west and north-west of Dinton Castle were carried out in 1859 by Akerman and Goodall and they identified a further eight skeletons immediately to the north and north-west of the folly, along with pottery and glass fragments, a buckle and a circular pit packed with stones (Akerman 1870). The 1879 and 1938 Ordnance Survey Maps noted Saxon remains at this location.

An evaluation was carried out at the location of a proposed golf course in the early 1990s, covering 76ha of arable fields around the folly to the north. A small open area excavation was undertaken at the same time of land to the north and west of the folly grounds, and four trenches dug within the copse surrounding the folly. The excavations revealed a further 20 inhumations belonging to the 5th to 6th-century cemetery and a large Iron Age ditch. The burials were organised into two different groups, one group being more richly furnished and possibly later in date than the other. Grave goods included brooches, beads, knives, pins, silver rings, animal teeth, spearheads, urns, an iron toiletry set and a bucket. A possible boundary ditch of the cemetery was identified (Hunn et al 1994). The closest excavated burial lay c20m to the north of the building.

The name Dinton is possibly Anglo-Saxon in origin; however the earliest mention is in the Domesday Book as Danitone, owned by Bishop of Bayeux. A medieval sunken building was identified c20m to the north of the folly, and two large dumps of 13th-14th-century pottery were found c25m to the north-west, perhaps debris from cream-making or some other process (Hunn et al 1994). Several Deserted Medieval Villages (DMVs) with largely well-preserved earthworks are in the vicinity; the closest is south-east of Wallace Farm. Medieval ridge and furrow field systems are also present along with a Scheduled medieval moat (Strawbridge 2016).

The characteristics of the historic landscape are predominantly Parliamentary enclosure fields, enclosed in 1803. There is also evidence of earlier, pre 18th-century irregular fields systems (Strawbridge 2016). There are 14 Listed Buildings in the vicinity, including Dinton Hall (Strawbridge 2016).



3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aims of the observation and recording works were to:

• Mitigate the impact of the development through preservation by record;

• establish the date, nature and extent of activity or occupation in the development site;

• establish the relationship of any remains found to the surrounding contemporary landscapes;

• recover artefacts to assist in the development of type series within the region;

• recover paleo-environmental remains to determine local environmental conditions as an intrinsic part of the investigation.

Specific research objectives are given by national and regional research frameworks (EH 1991 and 1997; Hey and Hind 2014). Due to the small nature of the observed interventions, the site was not able to fulfil any research criteria.

4 METHODOLOGY MOLA is a Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) registered organisation. All works have been prepared and undertaken in accordance with the current best archaeological practice as defined in the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists’ Code of Conduct (CIfA 2014a), Standard and Guidance: Archaeological watching brief (CIfA 2014b) and the Historic England (HE) procedural document Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE) (HE 2015). The methodology for the works was laid out in an approved Written Scheme of Investigation (MOLA 2017) and the scheme of works was designed in accordance with the Brief (BCAS 2015).

MOLA were contracted to monitor and record all development groundworks at Dinton Castle, including services, access and landscaping. The topsoil and subsoil of the site in the locations of service trenches, a sewage treatment plant and drainage field were stripped by machine using a toothless grading bucket under constant archaeological supervision to the archaeological horizon. The stripped area was fully examined. The archaeological remains which were identified were excavated and recorded on pro forma context sheets, watching brief report forms, high resolution digital photographs and black and white negatives. The stripped areas were hand cleaned as required to produce plans and sections. The process for recording is detailed in the MOLA fieldwork manual (MOLA 2014) which is given to all staff. No environmental samples were taken.

The human remains that were encountered were recorded and left undisturbed. After consultation with Buckinghamshire County Council Archaeology Officer (BCCAO) it was agreed that removal of the remains was not considered to be necessary and therefore no Ministry of Justice licencing was requested. The human remains were protected in situ by repositioning the service trenches into one of several predetermined locations to avoid the burial ground and other constraints such as the upstanding building, a public footpath and a number of trees under Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). Consultation was maintained throughout with the BCCAO and the client in order to ensure an appropriate methodology was pursued at all times.

Scale 1:500

© Crown Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.Licence Number 100047514

Plan of the site and excavated features shownwith cemetery features (Hunn et al 1994) Fig 5

Excavated trenches

0 25m Trenches (1994)Archaeological features (1994)

Archaeological features (2017)

Burials (1994)

105

103

305

213

211

209

208205

Medievalsunken house

Medievalditch

Iron Ageditch

Medievalpottery dump



5 THE EXCAVATED EVIDENCE

Summary The archaeological works at Dinton Castle comprised the observation of two service runs (Trenches 1 and 2), a drainage field/soakaway (Trench 3) and a small treatment plant (Trench 4) (Fig 5). The archaeological remains included a section of wall, two small gullies, two post-medieval pits, a section of metalled trackway, a number of layers and a disturbed inhumation burial.

Stratigraphic overview The natural geology was recorded across the site as bright red-orange or yellow silty sand. Discrete patches of stiffer whiter clay were observed, along with a seam of blue-white clay which appeared in the deeper cuts in addition to patches of brashy ironstone.

Overlying the natural was a subsoil formed of weathered natural; mottled orange –brown silty clay with frequent sand and ironstone fragments between 0.30-0.38m thick. Topsoil generally comprised loose to moderately firm grey-brown or grey-black silty clay with over 10% small flint gravel around 0.28m thick.

Trench 1 Trench 1 was situated to the east of the folly and followed a sinuous path curving around the building, trees and overhead power line to join the main road.

Two small gullies were identified within this trench. Gully [103] was aligned east-west at the southern end of Trench 1. The cut was shallow with a gently rounded base and steep sides, 0.40m wide and 0.15m deep (Fig 6). The fill comprised mid brown silty sand with around 10% of ironstone fragments. No finds were recovered from the fill.

Gully [103], crossing Trench 1 on an east-west orientation Fig 6



Gully [105] was aligned broadly north-south in the centre of Trench 1. It was not fully excavated as it lay mainly below the required excavation depth; it was around 0.30m wide. It had a fill of mid brown silty sand which contained small pieces of post-medieval ceramic building material (CBM). This suggests the gully did not pre-date the folly and was probably contemporary or post-dated it.

Trench 2

Trench 2A During initial machine excavation of Trench 2A (Fig 8) adjacent to the folly wall, a disturbed inhumation burial was identified, comprising two tibiae and a fibula. Further hand cleaning of the area identified a deposit of mixed charnel, including a vertebra, fragments of pelvis, femur and cranium and a humeral head (Figs 7-9). A possible cut, probably of a charnel pit, was identified offset from the deposit. Following approval from BCCAO, the burial was covered over and Trench 2A was backfilled. The service trench (Trench 2B) was repositioned around 1.5m to the north to avoid the area of burial. No further human remains were recovered.

Site of disturbed burial (Trench 2A), looking west Fig 7

Given the highly fragmented and disturbed nature of the interment and high degree of truncation on this north side of the castle, it seems probable that these remains were disturbed during the construction of the folly and reburied in a charnel pit at that time.

Disa

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Plans of Trench 2A and 2B Fig 8Scale 1:50 (A4)



In situ charnel in Trench 2A Fig 9

Trench 2B In the repositioned Trench 2B a number of circular pits were identified, thought to be post-medieval waste pits. Pit [204] was greater than 1.4m wide and over 1.0m deep, with steep sides and a flattish base. The single fill comprised homogenous mid orange-brown clay silt.

Immediately adjacent to the west was a large sub-circular pit [208], which was greater than 3.10m wide. Its depth could not be established. The fills comprised homogenous yellow-grey silty clay (207) overlain by a deposit of yellow-brown clay silt with sand pockets (206). Both fills contained post-medieval tile fragments and a complete 20th-century glass saucer was recovered from (206). Pit [209] was a steep-sided pit with a concave base greater than 0.60m wide and 0.42m deep (Fig 10, S9). The pit was filled with redeposited topsoil comprising dark grey-brown loam (210). This pit was cut to the west by pit [211], which had curved sides and a flat base 0.52m wide and 0.23m deep (Fig 10, S9). The fill comprised identical dark grey-brown loam (212).

The pits were cut into a buried topsoil layer (214), which, around 1m to the west of the pits, overlaid a metalled surface (213) (Fig 10, S9). This was probably the remnant of a trackway which was aligned north-east to south-west. The metalling was made from small to medium-sized rounded cobbles and formed a surface 0.65m wide. Pressed into the surface were fragments of a late 18th to 19th-century clay tobacco pipe and ceramic building materials, clearly indicating that it was post-medieval in date. Given the proximity of the public footpath to the west of the castle, which was marked as a trackway on historic mapping from as early as 1885, it seems likely that the metalled track represents an early phase of this route. Similar areas of metalling formed of worn limestone cobbles were identified around 25m to the north-west and west by Hunn et al (1994), who identified these as pathways contemporary with the folly construction.

The cobbled trackway and pits were overlain by a thin layer of woodchip followed by a 0.47m depth of redeposited natural and subsoil being spoil from a trench of the earlier excavation (Hunn et al 1994) (Fig 5; Fig 10, S9). The 1994 trench cut was not visible, either in Trench 2 or Trench 3.



Section through pits and cobbled surface in Trench 2 Fig 10

Metalled surface (213), facing south Fig 11

Parts of a large ammonite fossil, almost 0.40m in diameter, was recovered from the natural in Trench 2. This was similar to the fossils used to decorate the folly’s frontage (Fig 4) and may indicate that some of the fossils in Vanhattern’s collection were of local origin.

Trench 3 Trench 3 was a U-shaped trench which was cut for the foundations of a soakaway/ drainage field to the south of the folly. Due to onsite constraints, its position was slightly altered. A limestone wall was identified within the west arm of the trench, aligned north-north-east to south-south-west (Figs 12, 13, S7 and 14). The wall was set into a linear ditch cut on the same alignment, with steep sides and a V-shaped base, 0.86m wide and 0.42m deep [306]. Due to restrictions of the trench width and the oblique angle, it was not clear if this was a foundation cut, the replacement of a boundary ditch with a later wall, or a robber cut where the remainder of the stone from the wall had been removed. The ditch was filled with firm mottled yellow brown silt with clay patches and frequent small limestone fragments (304). The wall itself (305) was formed of roughly shaped unfinished limestone blocks up to 0.35m long by 0.18m wide and 0.10m high. Only one or two rough courses were surviving. Some stones retained poorly-surviving



mortar as a bonding material and a thick line of mortar was observed in the section and scattered in the eastern arm of the trench.

A 300mm-wide curvilinear service trench extended from the soakaway/ drainage field to the north-west and joined into Trench 4. No features were identified in this trench.

Limestone wall (305), looking north-west Fig 12

Section and photograph of the ditch [306] and limestone wall (305) Fig 13

02m

Plan of Trench 3 Fig 14Scale 1:50 (A4)

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Trench 4 Trench 4 was situated to the west of the folly and adjoined Trenches 2B and Trench 3. This trench was rectangular, 2.5m long by 1.60m wide and was cut for the sewage treatment plant (Fig 15, S10). The trench was dominated by a large circular pit with a diameter greater than 1.8m [404], cut into the natural. The primary fill comprised mixed yellow-brown-grey silty clay, which contained 19th/20th-century finds including tile, glass and a modern leather shoe (not retained). Overlying this layer was a 0.30-0.35m deep deposit of mottled yellow-brown silt clay (403).

Section and photograph of pit [404] within the treatment plant Trench 4 Fig 15



6 FINDS

6.1 Medieval pottery by Paul Blinkhorn A single sherd of pottery weighing 10g occurred in fill (205) of pit [204] in Trench 2. It is a fragment of Cotswolds-type Ware, a fabric not included in the Milton Keynes type-series (eg. Zeepvat et al 1994), but is common in the south-west of the county, and also in Oxfordshire, where it is given the code OXAC in the county type-series (Mellor 1994). Such pottery has a date-range of cAD1050 – 1350.

The sherd is from the rim of a jar, a common product of the tradition. It originally had a diameter of c 240mm, and is 4% complete. The rim is upright and everted with a hammer-head bead, suggesting it is from the later output of the tradition. It is in good condition.

6.2 Clay tobacco pipe by Tora Hylton

A clay tobacco-pipe stem measuring 25mm in length was recovered from metalled surface [213] in Trench 4. The stem fragment displays signs minimal abrasion, suggesting that it was recovered from a sealed deposit. Changes in manufacturing technique and the use of finer wire to make the bore ensured that there was a regular reduction in the bore between c1620 and 1800. Stem bores are measured in increments of 64th of an inch, and this small fragment measures 4/64ths, suggesting a late 18th-19th century date.

6.3 Ceramic building material by Rob Atkins Brick Three fragments of brick (0.385kg) were found in two contexts. Fill (206) of pit [208] in Trench 2 contained two small fragments in an orange sandy clay fabric (70g). Internally there were a few very small voids. The fragments were made in a mould and dated to the post-medieval period. Fill (403) of pit [404] contained a single fragment in an orange sandy clay fabric (315g). Internally there were a few very small voids, and the full thickness seems to have survived (c3”/ c70mm). The fragment was hand made though it is very abraded. Some lime mortar remains. It is dated 18th – mid 19th century.

Roof tile Three fragments of roof tile (0.51kg) were found in two contexts. Fill (207) of pit [208] contained a single fragment in a hard fully oxidised orange sandy clay fabric (130g), with mortar attached. It is post-medieval in date.

Fill (403) of pit [404] in Trench 4 contained two fragments in different ‘fabrics’. One was a hard, fully oxidised orange sandy clay fabric (285g) with mortar attached. The second fragment was of hard orange sandy clay fabric with a small internal grey core (95g), also with mortar attached. Both are probably post-medieval.

6.4 Other finds A complete late 20th-century saucer was recovered from fill (206) of pit [208] in Trench 2. The saucer was formed of tempered glass and marked with the brand name ARCOROC FRANCE. It dated to the last quarter of the 20th century (Fig 16). The find was retained by the site owner.



Modern glass saucer from post-medieval pit [208] Fig 16



7 DISCUSSION

A programme of archaeological observation, investigation, recording and publication was carried out at Dinton Castle, Dinton, Buckinghamshire. The works, which observed service runs and ground interventions on the site, formed part of an approved planning application for restoration and refurbishment of the 18th-century folly into a residential dwelling.

Archaeological features identified during the current works included a limestone wall, two small gullies, four post-medieval pits, a section of metalled footpath trackway and a disturbed inhumation burial. A number of the features could be clearly dated to the post-medieval period as they contained post-medieval ceramic building materials or modern waste material. Some of the post-medieval features, such as the limestone wall, gullies and the pits, are almost certainly associated with the folly. It is possible that the pits may have been in use as waste pits during the folly’s construction or later. Pit [204] produced one sherd of medieval pottery, dated cAD1050 – 1350; the sherd was in good condition but must have been disturbed by later pit-digging or perhaps was within the soil brought onto the site during the construction of the castle as make-up layers.

The wall and gullies are likely to be features associated with the landscaping of the folly’s grounds, although one gully is undated. Given the limited nature of the service trench interventions it is possible that the limestone wall may have formed part of a building, the opposing walls of which were not observed. However given the lack of any such structure on historic mapping of the period, it seems more likely that it was a garden wall. An undated historic postcard of Dinton Castle held by the Buckinghamshire Family History Society shows the frontage of the castle with at least one distinct raised ridge visible in the grass in before it on a north-west by south-east alignment (Fig 17). This may indicate that the wall had been pulled down by the date the photograph was taken but at this time remained more prominently in the landscape.

Postcard of Dinton Castle, date unknown, supplied by Daphne Hill via the

Buckinghamshire Family History Society (BucksFHS) Fig 17 (http://www.bucksfhs.org.uk/index.php/bucks-pictures/199-dinton/detail/813-dincastle)

The metalled trackway identified to the north-west of the folly in Trench 2B lay around 1.5m to the west of the position of a Public Right of Way, now the Aylesbury Ring long distance footpath. A track has been marked passing north-south to the west of the



castle since the First Edition 1885 Ordnance Survey map and it seems highly likely that the metalled trackway formed part of this path surface.

A small quantity of disarticulated human remains was uncovered in Trench 2A to the north of the folly during the works. The remains comprised two tibiae and fragments from a fibula, vertebra, fragments of pelvis, femur and cranium and a humeral head. The charnel lay near to, but not within, a possible grave cut and were less than 100mm from the current ground surface. The ground to the north of the castle was highly truncated, with the natural lying close to the surface. This truncation, which occurred during the folly’s construction, is likely to have disturbed one or more burials of the Saxon cemetery, leading to the fragmentary condition of the remains. The closest burial excavated by Hunn et al (1994) lies less that 10m to the north-east of these remains. The charnel seems to have been reburied in a roughly cut pit by the folly builders. Following approval from BCCAO, the remains were reburied where they were found. No further human remains or finds of Saxon period were identified during the excavation and it is possible that any other Saxon burials which did extend into this area were removed by the process of landscaping and constructing the folly. The absence of any features of this date identified by Hunn et al (1994) in trenches to the south-west of the folly suggested the limit of the cemetery may have lain further to the north, beyond the folly site.



BIBLIOGRAPHY Akerman, J Y, 1870 Excavations at Dinton, Recs Bucks, 2, 137-140

Aylesbury Vale District Council 2008, Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation areas, Aylesbury Vale District Council BCAS 2015 Generic brief for an archaeological watching brief/small-scale investigation, Buckinghamshire County Museum

BGS 2017 British Geological Survey GeoIndex, http://bgs.ac.uk/geoindex

CIfA 2014a Code of Conduct, Chartered Institute for Archaeologists

CIfA 2014b Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Watching Brief, Chartered Institute for Archaeologists

Claxton, J, 1792 Description of a Saxon arch with an inscription in Dinton Church, and of sundry antiquities found in that parish, Archaeologia, 10, 167-171

DCLG 2012 National Planning Policy Framework, Department of Communities and Local Government

EH 1991 Exploring Our Past, English Heritage

EH 1997 Research Agenda (draft 8th April 1997), English Heritage

HE 2015 Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment: The MoRPHE Project Managers Guide, Historic England

Hey, G, and Hind, J, 2014 Solent-Thames: Research Framework for the Historic Environment: Resource Assessments and Research Agendas, Oxford Wessex Monograph, 6

Hunn, A, Lawson, J, and Farley, M, 1994 The Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Dinton, Buckinghamshire, Anglo-Saxon Studies Vol 7, 85-148

Markham, P, 2016 Consultation with the Buckinghamshire County Archaeological Service, dated 14 June 2016, Ref CBC11874

Mellor, M, 1994 Oxford Pottery: A Synthesis of middle and late Saxon, medieval and early post-medieval pottery in the Oxford Region, Oxoniensia, 59, 17-217

MOLA 2014 Archaeological fieldwork manual, MOLA Northampton

MOLA 2017 Written Scheme of Investigation for a programme of archaeological observation, investigation, recording, publication and archiving at Dinton Castle, Dinton, Buckinghamshire, MOLA Northampton

Strawbridge, M, 2016 Dinton Castle, Dinton, Buckinghamshire Heritage Statement, Museum of London Archaeology

Watkinson, D, and Neal, V, 2001 First Aid for Finds, UK Institute for Conservation

Whitelaw, J W, 1997 Shire Book of Follies, Shire Publications

Wolframm-Murray, Y, 2010 Archaeological building recording of Dinton Castle, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire Archaeology report, 09/174

Zeepvat, R J, Roberts, J S and King, N A, 1994 Caldecotte, Milton Keynes. Excavation and Fieldwork 1966-91, Bucks Archaeol Soc Monog Ser, 4

MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology)

30 June 2017



APPENDIX: CONTEXT INVENTORY Context Context

type Description Dimensions Artefacts/ Samples

100 Topsoil Grey brown-black loose silty clay <10% small flint & gravel

W: - D: - -

101 Subsoil Bright orange brown – grey white compacted – loose clay

W: - D: - -

102 Natural Red / orange silty sand with patches of white and blue white clay and ironstone.

- -

103 Gully cut Linear cut on E-W orientation with a bowl shaped profile.

D: 0.15m W: 0.40m -

104 Fill of gully [103]

Mid brown silty sand with 10% ironstone inclusions

D: 0.15m W: 0.40m -

105 Gully cut Linear cut on N-S orientation Not excavated

D: - W: 0.30m -

106 Fill of Gully [105] Mid brown silty sand D: -

W: 0.30m CBM

201 Topsoil Mottled grey – brown firm to loose silty clay

D: - W: - -

202 Natural Mid orange brown firm sand / clay and pale white grey decayed limestone

D: - W: - -

203 Burial Disarticulated / disturbed burial D: - W: - -

204 Cut of pit Circular with gradual to steep sides and concave to flat base

D: 1.00m W: 1.40m -

205 Fill of pit [204] Mid orange brown clay silt D: 1.00m

W: 1.40m Pottery

206 Fill of pit [208]

Yellow brown clay silt with pockets of sand

D: - W: - Glass

207 Fill of pit [208] Yellow grey silty clay D: -

W: - -

208 Pit cut Sub-circular D: - W: 3.10m -

209 Cut of pit Steep-sided pit with concave base D: 0.42m W: >0.60m -

210 Fill of pit [209] Dark grey-brown loam D: 0.42m

W: >0.60m -

211 Cut of pit Curved sided pit with flat base W: 0.52m D: 0.23m -

212 Fill of pit [211] Dark grey-brown loam W: 0.52m

D: 0.23m -

213 Metalled surface Mid to medium rounded cobbles W: 0.65m

D: - CBM, CTP

214 Layer Buried topsoil – Dark grey-brown loam

W: - D: 0.17m -

215 Layer Buried subsoil – mid orange-brown silty clay with frequent small stones

W: - D: 0.06m -

216 Former spoil

Spoil from 1990s trench – redeposited natural and subsoil laid on woodchip

W: - D: 0.47m -

301 Topsoil Grey brown-black loose silty clay <10% small flint & gravel

D: 0.28m W: - -

302 Weathered natural

Mottled orange brown loose – firm silty clay

D: 0.93m W: - -



Context Context type Description Dimensions Artefacts/

Samples

303 Natural Mid – light orange firm sand with white grey clay and ironstone patches

D: - W: - -

304 Fill of [306] Mottled yellow brown firm silt with clay patches, frequent small limestone fragments

D: 0.86m W: 0.42m -

305 Wall Linear limestone wall on NNE-SSW alignment

D: - W: 0.94m -

306 Cut of ditch Linear cut on NNE-SSW alignment with steep sides

D: 0.86m W: 0.42m -

401 Topsoil Mid – dark brown black loose silty loam

D: 0.40-0.60m W: - -


Mottled yellow brown loose – frim silt / clay

D: 0.30-0.35m W: >2.00m

Modern debris


Mixed yellow brown grey firm silty clay

D: - W: - -

404 Pit cut Circular D: - W: >1.8m -

405 Natural Bright orange brown – grey white compacted – loose clay - -

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