Monument record 0123000000 - DUNDRIDGE FARM, ST LEONARDS

PIT, ABOUT 90CM DEEP, CONTAINING CHARCOAL AND IRON SLAG. FOUND IN A BRICKEARTH QUARRY AND EXAMINED BY CICELY BAKER. OTHER SLAG FINDS IN AREA, AND IRON STONE (ORE). PROBABLY IRON AGE FURNACE OR SMELTING PIT. NEARBY IRON AGE SHERDS (01:000) (B1-6).
Quarry shown on the OS 1973 Edition 6in map (B7).
A large mound of iron slag reported by John Morris in 2007. The mound was approx 12mX20m and 1m high (B8).




Fragments of a Belgic-looking pot (now in the County Museum) were found in a spoil heap from a quarry near Dundridge Farm (SP 919066) in or near what was described as a stepped "smelting pit" about 3' deep, bearing traces of iron stone and iron oxide. Other pots are said to have been found in the neighbourhood, some years previously (B3).
Probably an Iron Age furnace pit for smelting iron found in 1946, which overlooks the valley called 'Cindery Bottom'. Quantities of slag are still to be found there. Samples are being analysed. (B4).
Aps taken in 1951 show signs of quarrying, at SP 91540616, not apparent on those of 1945.' (B9).
A pit, circa 3 ft below the ground surface, was discovered in the side of a sand quarry at Dundridge Farm. It contained black earth and charcoal and traces of natural ironstone. A sherd of ? Belgic pottery was found in a spoil heap near the quarry and cinder is said to have been found in a field centred SP 915062. None of the finds were available for inspection in Aylesbury Museum and no positive evidence for iron working was found. Bloomery slag has been found within Cholesbury settlement
(SP 90 NW 3) and is held in Aylesbury Museum (B1).
A quarry for sand and brick-earth exists at SP 91540616. Visible in the face are sections of natural iron stained gravel and darker brick earth, but no sign of iron working was found here or in Cindery Bottom Wood (SP 918055) (B10).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.