Monument record 0198700000 - NE OF 'THE ABBEY', ASTON ABBOTTS

GROUP OF ABOUT 5+ HOUSE PLATFORMS & LARGER RECTANGULAR AREA TO W, APPROX 150M X 60M, PERHAPS A CLOSE ENCLOSED ON 3 SIDES BY STREETS. AREA DELIMITED TO W BY RIDGE & FURROW & MOST OF EARTHWORKS IN 1 FIELD. FIELD SLIGHTLY TO N AND ADJOINING SCHOOL HAS LESS CERTAIN EARTHWORKS ASSOCIATED WITH 2 PONDS (1 DRY). MAIN FIELD NOW A PARK ATTACHED TO 'ABBEY' (B1).
Centred at SP 845201. An area of desertion/shrinkage now under pasture and occupying some 12.0 acres. The extant earthworks consitute tracks/field roads, crofts, fields and two substantial steadings. Abbey House (SP 81 NW 1) was rebuilt in 19th century; the main landscaped frontage overlooks the shrinkage and it is most probable that construction of a park caused the removal of property, offensive to the eye. Surveyed at 1:2500 on AM (B2/B7).

Medieval deserted settlement is visible on historic aerial photograph and remote sensing data as earthworks and was mapped as part of the Aylesbury Vale Aerial Investigation and Mapping project (EBC18604). Located in fields west of Aston Abbotts village and centred at SP 84447 20170, the settlement remains comprise a cluster of at least nine irregularly shaped and variously sized earthwork platforms, between which are a system of connected ditches. To the N of this is a 64 x 15 metres rectilinear ditch that may have been a pond. Extending to the W are three rectilinear ridge and furrow cultivation blocks, bound by ditches that may have been trackways or a hollow way. On aerial photographs taken in 2022 and recent remote sensing data, the feature remain extant (3-5).



(Centred SP 845201) Pattern of earthworks indicating shrinkage of Aston Abbots, or perhaps associated with the Abbey site (SP 81 NW 1) (B6).
A rapid examination of air photography (3a) shows the earthworks of this shrunken village (B8).