Monument record 0183700000 - THE BALKS
Summary
Protected Status/Designation
- Planning Notification Area: Earthworks of Medieval cultivation terraces known as The Balks (DBC9189)
- SHINE: Rook Wood medieval manor and moated site with causeway (DBC7537)
Map
Type and Period (2)
- CULTIVATION TERRACE (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
- STRIP LYNCHET (Post-Medieval - 1540 AD? to 1798 AD?)
Description
Dimensions - Height 0002 m Width 0010 m
THE BALKS ARE WELL CONSTRUCTED CULTIVATION TERRACES SITUATED ON A STEEP SW FACING SLOPE OF THE CHESS VALLEY. THEY ARE PLOUGHED OUT ON TO THE UPPER SLOPES AND PARTLY DESTROYED ON THE LOWER SLOPES BY THE CHESHAM BRANCH OF THE METROPOLITAN RAILWAY BUT IN THE INTERMEDIARY AREA, WHERE FOR THE MOST PART THEY ARE UTILISED AS ALLOTMENTS, THEY ARE EXTREMELY WELL PRESERVED AND AVERAGE 10M IN WIDTH AND 2M IN HEIGHT (B1).
NGR to centre of earthworks.
Programme of test pitting, augering and earthwork survey carried out by Archaeological Solutions in January 2006 in advance of proposed redevelopment of the hospital site. The evidence was consistent with the earthworks being strip lynchets although no reliable dating was produced due to the degree to which the earthworks had been disturbed by the construction of the hospital and by recent use as allotments. A possible prehistoric buried soil layer was identified in Trench 1A at the base of the lynchet. See report for detail (B2).
Desk-based assessment (B3).
Sources (3)
- <1>SBC10675 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. 1959-60. OS RECORD CARD SP 90 SE:21.
- <2>SBC22684 Unpublished document: Archaeological Solutions. 2006. Chesham Hospital, Hospital Hill, Chesham: Evaluation Report.
- <3>SBC26738 Unpublished document: RPS Group. 2023. Land at the Former Chesham Community Hospital Site, Hospital Hill, Waterside, Chesham: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment.
Location
| Grid reference | SP 9624 0129 (point) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | CHESHAM, Chiltern, Buckinghamshire |
Finds (7)
- BLADE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC? to 42 AD?)
- FLAKE (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC? to 42 AD?)
- BURNT FLINT (Late Prehistoric - 4000 BC? to 42 AD?)
- VESSEL (14th Century to 16th Century - 1300 AD? to 1599 AD?)
- VESSEL (17th Century to Modern - 1600 AD to 1999 AD)
- ROOF TILE (18th Century to 19th Century - 1700 AD to 1899 AD)
- MAMMAL REMAINS (17th Century to 19th Century - 1600 AD to 1899 AD)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (3)
- Event - Interpretation: Desk-based assessment (EBC18588)
- Event - Intervention: Evaluation test pitting and earthwork survey (Ref: AS 957) (EBC16715)
- Event - Survey: Topographic earthwork survey (EBC16717)
Record last edited
Aug 23 2024 10:08AM
