Monument record 0839300000 - Land to west of High Wycombe town centre (Project Phoenix)

Evaluation and environmental sampling carried out by Oxford Archaeology in May and June 2004 and subsequent sample analysis by Mark Robinson produced evidence for marshy flood plain conditions prior to residential development in the 19th century in 5 of the 6 trial trenches, the test pit and both boreholes (the only exception was trench 2 where modern truncation had removed all pre-20th century deposits). Several periods of inundation and peat formation were identified, dated by stratified finds and plant material to the medieval and post-medieval periods. No evidence for earlier deposits was found, suggesting that these had been removed by (?water) erosion. Mollusca and waterlogged plant remains indicated a marshy grassland environment with tall riverside vegetation, interpreted as possibly in use as meadowland. In the 19th century the ground level was artificially raised by up to 2m of made ground and the area developed for terraced housing (remains of which were identified in trenches 1,2,3,4,5 and 6). See report for detail (B1). NGR to centre.