The results of an archaeological evaluation in
connection with proposals for the construction
of affordable housing on land off Bowstridge
Lane, Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire

Swale and Thames Archaeological Survey Company
School Farm Oast, Graveney Road
Faversham, Kent
ME13 8UP
Tel: 01795 532548 or 07885 700 112

1. Introduction............................................................................................................page 4. 2. Summary of results................................................................................................page 5. 3. Geological and Historical Background..................................................................page 6. ii) Earlier prehistory...................................................................................................page 6. iii) Later prehistory....................................................................................................page 7. v) Romano-British.....................................................................................................page 7. vi) Anglo-Saxon.........................................................................................................page 7. vii) Post medieval......................................................................................................page 7. 4. Objectives and Methodology.................................................................................page 9. 5. The evaluation........................................................................................................page 10. 6. Discussion...............................................................................................................page 11 8. Finds.......................................................................................................................page 11. 9. Conclusions............................................................................................................page 22. 10. References............................................................................................................page 23.

Front cover:This is an aerial photograph (facing north-east) of the proposed development site in 1931
Figure 1.Site location plan. Scale 1:2000.
Figure 2.Trench location plan. Scale 1:1250.

SWAT Archaeology carried out a pre-planning archaeological evaluation on land off Bowstridge Lane,
Chalfont St Giles between 27th September, 28th September, and 1st October 2007.
The work was undertaken at the request of RHT Developments as affordable housing were planned for
the site. The proposed development area (PDA), which has an area of approximately 1.21 hectares
(12,100 sq metres), lies on gently sloping land running down to the Misbourne Stream (between
85.10m and 71.20m OD) centred on National Grid Reference NGR: SU 9910 9335, just south-east of
Chalfont St Giles.

Eight evaluation trenches were machine excavated, encapsulating 560 square metres,
representing a 4.62% sample of the 1.21ha of the PDA. Each trench measured about 35 by 2m and
were cut to the depth of significant archaeological remains or, in their absence, to the surface of the
Clay with Flint or Upper Chalk.