Monument record 0242700000 - DELLS WOOD

Summary

Small banked enclosure and medieval field banks surviving as earthworks. Pottery, roof tiles suggest 13th-14th century occupation. Supposed site of hamlet of Fastendich or `sronghold ditch' as Anglo-Saxon name implies.

Protected Status/Designation

Archaeological Notification Area: Earthworks of deserted medieval hamlet in Dells Wood (DBC9243)
Local Heritage List 4792: DELLS WOOD (DBC10811)

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Type and Period (6)

ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
SETTLEMENT? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
HAMLET? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FIELD BOUNDARY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
FORTIFICATION (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Description

Dimensions - Length 0090 m Width 0030
Plan Form - RECTANGULAR
ENCLOSURE FOUND BY MRS B EASTERBROOK ON S EDGE OF DELLS WOOD. APPROX RECTANGULAR. W SIDE IS DITCH WITH BANK RUNNING DOWNHILL. N SIDE JUST SMALL SCARP, PROB CULTIVATION. E & S DEFINED BY SLIGHT DITCH. ?HOUSE PLATFORM TO WEST (B1-2).
SITE SUGGESTED AS 'LOST' HAMLET OF PILSEDICH. CONIFERS PLANTED (B2).
Short illustrated report (B3).

The name `Fastendich' occurs as early as 1197. It is probably a compound of `faesten' and `dic', hence 'stronghold-ditch'. The exact site is unknown but it was probably in (the former) West Wycombe parish and may have been hear Widdenton (Widdenton Park Wood is at SU 8191). (B4)

"Fastendich, now covered over with woods, lies below Dell's Farm (SU 7894)and in early Saxon time must have been a very important upland settlement" (B5).

No trace of a fortified settlement evident on the ground. Medieval field banks are said to be visible within Dell's Wood at SU 788944 and also at SU 791 949.(a) (B6)

SU 7880 9435 Small banked enclosure circa 90m x 30m found several years ago was surveyed by Mr & Mrs Cauvain and B.D Easterbrook in 1978. Finds of pottery, roof tiles and shaped flint indicated occupation, including permanent buildings in the 13th and 14th centuries. It has been suggested that this is is the site of the lost hamlet of Fastendich. (B7)

NRHE update 2001 (B8)

Sources (8)

<1>SBC9482 Verbal communication: 1976. MRS B EASTERBROOK & M E FARLEY, PERS COMM, JULY 1976.
<2>SBC4476 Article in serial: Brenda Easterbrook. 1978. 'MEDIEVAL EARTHWORK AT STOKENCHURCH', IN RECS OF BUCKS 20 PP667-669. Vol 20.
<3>SBC24610 Unpublished document: Arthur Boarder. 1974. Dell Wood, Horsleley Green, Stokenchurch: Medieval Site.
<4>SBC27566 Bibliographic reference: English Place Name Society. 1925. English Place-Name Society : the survey of English place-names [county volumes]. p207.
<5>SBC27567 Digital archive: English Heritage. VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION, Notes on West Wycombe 1934 16 (H Harmon). p16.
<6>SBC27562 Verbal communication: P A Stevens. 1972. Field Investigators Comments Peter Anthony Stevens,18 October 1972.
<7>SBC27568 Verbal communication: Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments- Mr R Parker.
<8>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE).

Location

Grid reference	Centred SU 78776 94357 (129m by 81m)
Civil Parish	STOKENCHURCH, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Finds (2)

VESSEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Event - Survey: Site visit and surface find (EBC17729)
Event - Survey: Topographic earthwork survey (EBC17730)

Record last edited

Jun 23 2025 2:27PM