Monument record 1563400000 - South of Briary Plantation, Whaddon

Evaluation trial trenching carried out by Border Archaeology from March to June 2023 in advance of proposed housing development identified a number of undated boundary ditches equating to former coppice boundaries at the eastern edge of Whaddon Chase, shown on early 19th century maps. The oldest of these ditches, aligned NNW-SSE in trenches 177, 192 and 224 was at least 160m long, between 2.44m to approx 4.4m wide and approx 0.62m to 1.1m deep. The ditch had been cut by modern field drains. Whilst the boundary formed the eastern boundary of Snelshall Coppice, it is suggested that it possibly originated as a Medieval leat or drainage ditch running into the southern arm of the outer precinct moat of Snelshall Priory. The ditch still survives to the north within Briary Plantation, although apparently no longer supplies the moat. See report for detail (B1).