Monument record 0104000000 - LOWER BURSTON FARM

Summary

Deserted medieval settlement recorded in field surveys and on aerial photographs

Protected Status/Designation

Ancient Monument 1017778: THE MEDIEVAL VILLAGE OF BURSTON (DBC7180)
Planning Notification Area: Earthworks of Medieval deserted village and manor of Burston. (DBC9441)

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Type and Period (15)

DESERTED SETTLEMENT (11th Century to 16th Century - 1000 AD to 1599 AD)
HOLLOW WAY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
TOFT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
PLATFORM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
BOUNDARY DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
PREACHING CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
MOUND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
FOOTBRIDGE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
DAM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
WATER MEADOW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
SCARP (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
POND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)
RIDGE AND FURROW (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD?)

Description

SAM 29401. VERY CLEAR SITE, ONE OF THE BEST IN S ENGLAND. PATTERN OF SUNKEN ROADS & HOUSE ENCLOSURES. DESCRIPTION (B10).
DESCRIPTION, DISCUSSION, PLANS (B11).
DESCRIPTION, SURVEY, PHOTOS &C (B12).
NGR TO CENTRE OF DMV & PARK (B9).
MPP Fieldworker site visit and survey (B15).

A medieval deserted settlement of Burston is visible on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data as earthworks and was mapped as part of the Aylesbury Vale Aerial Investigation and Mapping project (EBC18604). Located about 400 metres SE of Lower Burston Farm and centred at SP 84158 18856, the settlement earthworks are contained within a single pasture field between Lower Burston Farm and a small tributary of the Thistle Brook and extend about 320 metres W-E and 390 metres N-S, covering an area of about 94,500 square metres. A broad hollow way extends from the NW corner in a SE direction, before turning S. Other linear interconnected trackways and boundary ditches branch off this W and E through the settlement, forming a system of roughly rectilinear enclosures or tofts, within which are earthworks platforms and earthwork banks, slopes and scarps, some of which would be the remains of former buildings. In the SE corner, two opposing cone or pizza slice-shaped earthworks on either side of the watercourse might be the remains of a bridge ramp. Within the settlement are two small blocks of ridge and furrow cultivation (18-23).

Sources (28)

---SBC17239 Aerial Photograph: 01/01/76. BCM A/1/5/2A-3, 4A-5. SP\846201. Yes.
---SBC17399 Aerial Photograph: 05/02/90. BCM A14/8/32-34. SP\841188. Yes.
---SBC17837 Aerial Photograph: 18/10/79. CUC CLC 26. SP\841190. Yes.
---SBC18770 Aerial Photograph: 10/03/48. RAF 142.3165. SP\837187. Yes.
---SBC19527 Graphic material: Went DA. 1997. Medieval village of Burston.
<1>SBC26953 Bibliographic reference: George Lipscomb. 1847. The History and Antiquities of the County of Buckingham (Volume 3). Volume 3. pp309-310.
<2>SBC19727 Bibliographic reference: James Joseph Sheahan. 1862. History and Topography of Buckinghamshire. p655.
<3>SBC20467 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1913. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire. Volume 2. p57.
<4>SBC20461 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1908. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume II. Volume 2. p63.
<5>SBC1667 Bibliographic reference: BERESFORD MW & HURST JG 1971 DESERTED MEDIEVAL VIL LAGES P184/ BERESFORD MW 1953 NOTES ON BUCKS DMV'.
<6>SBC10730 Bibliographic reference: OS RECORD CARD SP 81 NW 2 (FILED).
<7>SBC8154 Map: 1800. MAP OF BURSTON MANOR 1800 (IN COUNTY RECORD OFFICE).
<8>SBC203 Aerial Photograph: AIR PHOTO RAF MARCH 1948 142.3165 (COPY AT BCM); & INFO FROM P STEVENS, OS INSPECTOR.
<9>SBC4874 Verbal communication: FARLEY M E (BCM) MAY 1974 FIELD VISIT.
<10>SBC13940 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1997. SCHEDULING LIST OF INSPECTORATE OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
<11>SBC9908 Unpublished document: Elizabeth Nellist. 1977. 'BURSTON, A DESERTED MEDIEVAL VILLAGE IN BUCKS' (DURHAM UNIVERSITY THESIS).
<12>SBC2823 Bibliographic reference: CHALKEY B 1985 THREE DESERTED VILLAGES IN THE VALE OF AYLESBURY (ON CAS FILE).
<13>SBC19252 Bibliographic reference: DoE. 1984. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Buckinghamshire: Aylesbury Vale District: Parishes of Aston Abbotts &C.
<14>SBC10483 Map: OS 1981 1:2500 MAP.
<15>SBC19527 Graphic material: Went DA. 1997. Medieval village of Burston.
<16>SBC4271 Bibliographic reference: John Morris (ed). 1978. Domesday Book: Buckinghamshire.
<17>SBC20462 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1925. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume III. Volume 3. pp328-329.
<18>SBC27092 Aerial Photograph: Historic England. 2025. RAF-CPE-UK-2139 RP 3279 03-JUN-1947.
<19>SBC27089 Aerial Photograph: Historic England. 2025. RAF-CPE-UK-2483 RP 3166 10-MAR-1948.
<20>SBC27093 Aerial Photograph: Historic England. 2025. RAF-540-1269 F21 0037 12-MAR-1954.
<21>SBC27094 Aerial Photograph: Historic England. 2025. NMR 15253-23 22-MAR-1995.
<22>SBC25062 Digital archive: Environment Agency. Environment Agency LiDAR data. LIDAR SP81NW Environment Agency National LIDAR Programme DTM 1 Metre dated 2021 SP8418-8419.
<23>SBC27097 Digital archive: Historic England. 2025. The medieval village of Burston - List Entry Number 1017778. Accessed online 30-JAN-2025.

Location

Grid reference	Centred SP 8407 1880 (550m by 390m)
Civil Parish	ASTON ABBOTTS, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (5)

Related Events/Activities (6)

Event - Survey: (EBC11024)
Event - Survey: Aerial investigation and mapping project (Ref: 9179) (EBC18604)
Event - Survey: Site visit (EBC13833)
Event - Survey: Site visit (EBC13966)
Event - Survey: Topographic earthwork survey (EBC15994)
Event - Survey: Topographic earthwork survey (EBC17368)

Record last edited

Jan 30 2025 10:44AM