Monument record 0933200000 - Former bus depot site, Buckingham Street, Aylesbury

Evaluation trial trenching and subsequent watching brief carried out by Sutton Archaeological Services from June 2000 identified a number of rubbish pits from the late Saxon period onwards, although the site had been heavily truncated during the demolition [and presumably construction] of the 20th century bus depot. Pit 1 was seen in section only, was 1.6m wide and at least 1.4m deep with vertical sides and the fill contained charcoal, ash and pottery of late Saxon date. Pit 8 measured 0.7m wide, at least 1.2m long and 0.35m deep, with slightly concave sides and a rounded base, the silty fill showed possible traces of cess and contained late 13th century pottery. Pit 003 found in evaluation trench 2 was an irregular shape, about 1.7m in diameter with concave sides, a square base and with a mixed fill containing 13th century tile and post-medieval pottery and nails (possibly intrusive). A wall footing of mortared stone rubble, visible for approx 1m in section, was interpreted as 15th century in date on the basis of a fragment of Penn type floor tile recovered from the fill of the wall footing trench. The fills of pits 2 and 4 contained mixed assemblages of material from medieval pottery to modern brick fragments, whilst pits 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 were all undated. A mixed layer 0.34m to 0.37m deep of animal bones, late 14th to 15th century pottery, roof tile and a fragment of late 16th to early 17th century glass goblet was found in evaluation trench 1 and is interpretted as a 17th century rubbish deposit. See report for detail (B1).