Monument record 0019400000 - PHILIPSHILL WOOD

Dimensions - Length 0120 m Width 0090
Plan Form - RECTANGULAR
RECTANGULAR EARTHWORK EXCAVATED 1957 BUT RECORDS ONLY FOUND IN 1974 BY MR J BENNELL OF NEWLANDS PARK COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (B1).
PREVIOUS MENTION IS IN CORRESPONDENCE ON NEARBY SITE CASS 0267. SHALLOW DITCH & INTERNAL BANK ENTRANCE IN E SIDE. SURVEYED BY EVENING CLASS (B1,B3).
EXCAVATED BY STUDENTS FROM NEWLANDS PARK COLLEGE. 3 TRENCH EXCAVATIONS. FLINT WALLING & TILE FEATURE IN MOST ILLUSTRATED SECTIONS. COPY OF PLAN IN ENVELOPE FILE (B2). FURTHER SURVEY. LOCATION OF FINDS UNKNOWN. NO DATING EVIDENCE EXCEPT ROOF TILE.
M FARLEY 1984 SURVEYED THE WEST SIDE OF THE ENCLOSURE AS PART OF AN EVENING CLASS EXERCISE. SOME DAMAGE TO WEST BANK & DITCH BY VEHICLES MOVING FALLEN TREES. PLANS IN HANGING FILE (B1,B3).


TQ 011951. A square enclosure bounded by bank and outer ditch, nearly straight sides, sharp corners, no breaks but levelled at N corner. Modern (B6).
TQ 01189508 - A plan of the enclosure was discovered by J Bennel amongst the work of past students of Newlands Park College. The enclosure, 120 x 90 metres, which has an entrance with inturned bank on the east, was apparently the subject of trial excavations in 1957 (not published). The excavation plan shows that at least one building was traced internally and tile found in association. No dating evidence is indicated, but field inspection suggests the work may be medieval (B7).
A sub-square enclosure with sides c 100.0m long generally as described, situated on level ground in woodland. It is bounded by a bank, 0.4m maximum height, and outer ditch, 0.3m maximum depth, but on the west side this is reduced to an outward-facing scarp and part of the E side is destroyed. No entrance with inturned banks can be identified, and there is no trace of structures in the enclosed area. This type of enclosure is commonly found in S Bucks, almost without exception in woodland, and frequently associated with meandering baulks or banks which merge with modern boundary features. This suggests a relatively recent date of construction, probably concerned with arboriculture. Surveyed at 1:2500 (B8).

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