Monument record 0011600000 - BRAYS WOOD, BRAYS GREEN: farmstead

Dimensions - Length 0400 m
Plan Form - IRREGULAR
Site discovered 1936 by H D Cockburn and some excavation (2 trenches, 8 ft and 10 ft. long). Subsequent visits show house platforms damaged and now not positive features. Roof tiles scattered throughout area of enclosure but concentrated on or near house platforms. No tile or pottery visible on surface. Site lies at sides and base of dry valley. Pottery identified by G C Dunning as grey sandy ware with angular rims. Dated by him & R Dunnett to late C13/early C14. Small quantities green glazed jug fragments recovered (said to be C13/C14) including 1 slashed handle and 2 pieces of rim. Some of pottery held by Buckinghamshire County Museum, some lost, some held by finders (H D Cockburn, E V Rogers, and C E S King). Iron nails and/or fiddle key, plus rectangular plate with 2 rivet holes at one edge opposed by two notches also recovered by Mr King and retained by him. The rectangular plate is possibly a belt fitting (B1-3).
Site survey carried out by M Wells and J Chaffrey of the Chess Valley Archaeological and Historical Society on 18 February 1997 noted that the earthworks are more ovoid than rectangular and are defined by part bank, ditch and part bank. The bank encloses a small NE-SW valley with a spring. Internally there are at least two buildings as indicated by roughly rectangular flint bases with a peg-hole roof tile noted in the vicinity. Some other internal banks and one quarry pit also noted.(B4)