THE MUSEUM

As a result of a decision some time ago that allowing it to take place. a structural investigation should gradually be carried out of the whole Museum, a start was The other main exhibition was 'Image of made on this during the year. Unfortunately, Man' from the Peter Stuyvesant Foundation. major structural problems were found in the This was of the highest quality and included part of the building used for offices. This work by such people as: Bourdelle, Derain, meant that three offices have been unusable Epstein, Ernest, Giacometti, Hepworth, and also that some relocation is necessary as Modigliani, Picasso, Renoir, Rodin. Thanks a result of overloading of the second floor of are due to the Peter Stuyvesant Foundation for the whole building. This is producing major their help in allowing the Museum to have this problems as it will mean relocating the Field exhibition. Archaeologist, Archaeological Records Assist­ ant and the Biological Record. The Past 'Project under Hal Dalwood continued for the whole year. The During the year there were two particularly results of the excavation and field work is important exhibitions. One, 'Portrait of a Town recorded in the Archaeological Notes. There -Aylesbury in photographs' was made up of was, in addition, an oral history recording prints made from a collection of glass plate project. The work done by the team has proved negatives which are in private possession and invaluable. which had never previously been exhibited. This as expected proved a most popular The number of visitors to the Museum during exhibition and thanks are due to the owner for the year was: 36439. COUNTY RECORD OFFICE Condensed from the Report of the County Archivist

The absence on sick leave of the full-time Rural District Council and searchroom supervisor put staff under in­ Urban District Council. They incor­ creased pressure in maintaining the existing porate earlier records of the Amersham Rural service. Sanitary Authority and the Chesham Local Board of Health. Included among the Chesham The report compiled by the Royal Com­ records are minutes of the parish vestry and the mission on Historical Manuscripts following town silver band. Additional material was also their visit to the Office last year is being con­ received for the boroughs of Buckingham and sidered by the County Secretary and Solicitor. Aylesbury, and for R.D.C. The report's recommendation for an immediate More unusual is a stray file of Quarter Sessions increase in staffing is to be examined by the indictments for 1663 which predates the Management Services Unit. The._ outcome is existing series of sessions rolls. awaited with hope. The ecclesiastical parishes of Amersham and There was a total of 132 accessions during the Whitchurch deposited their older records. The year, the same total as for 1985. Amersham records, a particularly fine group, include parish registers from 1560, church­ Council deposited the wardens' accounts from 1597 (with some earlier records of its two predecessor authorities, accounts for the reign of Henry VIII), and 215 accounts of the overseers of the poor from Purchase Grant Fund. The 1611, as well as a tax assessment for Burnham Record Society helped with the purchase of an Hundred, 1695. estate map of the manor of Dunton, near Winslow, dated 1653, drawn by the astrologer Material for the study of twentieth-century Joseph Blagrave. By a happy chance the written political organization included the records of survey made by Blagrave to accompany the the Chesham Labour Party, and associated map was found to be already in the Record minutes of the Chesham United Trades and Office among the Hampden archives. Labour Council from 1913. They were balanced by the records of the Beaconsfield Other estate records received included a plan Constituency Conservative Association. for a staircase at Denham Place, 1777, and court books for the manor of Whitchurch, School records were represented by those of 1710-1888. Sir William Borlase's School, , a grammar school founded in 1624. The most Finally, Mr E. B. Basden's collection of MS substantial document is an account book material relating to Buckinghamshire has been recording the income and expenditure of the supplemented by his personal papers relating to school trustees from 1795 to 1814. A letter of his activities as collector and bibliographer, 1834 reveals the crisis caused by the imprison­ deposited by his widow. ment of the then headmaster, William Francis, for libelling the senior trustee. In spite of staffing problems, time was found for classifying and cataloguing in final form the Brown and Merry, Estate Agents, presented records of the Religious Society of Friends a sample of the files of their Aylesbury office (Quakers) which date back to the 1660s. More covering the years 1930-50. Smaller groups of work was also done on the records of Wigley, business records were received for Bird estate agents of Winslow, in order to complete Brothers, builders, of Milton Keynes, 1876- the list of the principal series of property 1960, and I'rancis Coalcs and Son (Tring) Ltd, papers, a!!d a medium-si2:ed cnll~>~tion of animal food manufacturers, 1936-1978. business records was catalogued.

Property records for three estates in north The number of personal visits to the Office Bucks came via the British Records Associ­ was 2645 (2469 in 1985). The figure for postal ation. These were Tickford Abbey, Thornton enquiries was 706(783). A total of 2735(2750) Hall, and the Hoare family's Wavendon estate. telephone calls was logged, of which 1172( 1348) Some additional deeds for the Shardeloes estate were enquiries and the rest were reservations, in Amersham, and a set of late eighteenth­ etc. Document siips presented a1uuuut~d to century accounts of payments to labourers and 7728(6755) and a total of 13,452(9893) items craftsmen on the Chester family's Chicheley were produced. estate were acquired with assistance from the REVIEWS

The Autobiography of Joseph Mayett of Although not 'popular' in a pejorative sense, Quainton (1783--1839). Ed. Ann Kussmaul, this most touching autobiography of a farm pp. xxxii + 101. Bucks Record Society No. 23, labourer at the beginning of the nineteenth 1986. ISBN 0 901198 19 6. £10.00 cloth, £4.50 century must have a wider appeal than some of paperback. the Society's earlier volumes and this, coupled with its use as one episode in a worthy television In their twenty-third publication the Bucks series (This Land of England) has led to it Record Society have broken new ground. appearing not only in the familiar yellow cloth 216 binding but also in paperback form. vision programmes which are awaited with keen interest. The author 'had Grove Farm-that Mayett was exceptional in being literate as was all that mattered' at the age of 19. A full a labourer at that time-his mother had taught autobiography would include much that is here him to read-and never 'taught' to write; yet mentioned only incidentally, such as Harman's despite the lack of punctuation or grammatical successful building enterprise and his distin­ form, his shaky spelling and uncertain capitali­ guished public and political service, here zation, his narrative is clear, so spontaneous recounted only when it directly concerned agri­ that reading is easy and has been much helped culture. His greatest achievement was to intro­ by the editor who has sensibly divided the text duce the Charolais breed into England, and into logical paragraphs. hence to the world.

The interest is threefold. The bread-line During the century after the Norman Con­ poverty of the casual farm labourer who, if he quest the Saxon family of del Broc, whose seat failed to be hired at the October hiring fairs was at , were actively engaged in might be 'on the parish' receiving perhaps four assarting in the upland hamlets of Great shillings a week at least one of which went on Chesham. They enclosed two virgates, about his cottage rent. The grim details of hiring, sixty acres, near (which did not tough farmers (although there were rank as a separate hamlet). The bounds are still exceptions), the wages and the work are both clear enough on the map and on the ground, valuable and moving. However, half the text is but they soon extended their holding, and by taken up with Mayett's twelve years service the critical year 1290 it ranked as a manor with the Royal Bucks Militia which he joined at distinct from Chesham Higham, though the Buckingham in March 1803 and served till the Earls of still claimed overlordship. By end of the war. It was a tough life but at least he 1362 Grove Manor was held by the great house was fed and clothed and his ability to read and of Cheyne, whose Lollard sympathies contri­ write was an advantage. buted to that radical dissent which has so long characterized the area. Their moat, on this dry The third strand-and to Mayett by far the plateau (520ft.), is the best in our county, with most important-is the information he gives inner and outer ramparts and an inner moat about the Baptist church and his own spiritual enclosing an almost unique example of struggles. The new little chapel whi~h still medieval domestic flintwork. Harman acknow­ survives on Winchendon Hill (and has lately ledges our President's share in his decision to been acquired by the Friends of Friendless turn this haunted hall, long used as a barn, into Churches) had been perennially short of money what became his home, though this was not his and their quarrels both theological and worldly original intention. 'At the finish Florence and I make sad reading. Yet clearly it was his simple fell in love with it.' On learning that the arch and genuine religious faith that sustained over his front door came from Tisbury in Wilt­ Mayett in his difficult yet somehow inspiring shire, he sent down to Tisbury to get the right life. stone. The locals insisted that this was a Roman site, and Mr Harman found many Roman and The editor's general introduction and foot­ Belgic sherds when clearing the moat. notes are models of their kind. E.V. Total recall is an uncommon gift, and a style to convey it even rarer. It was not until his first Seventy Summers. Tony Harman, pp. 256. seventy years were almost complete that Mr BBC Publications, 1986. £12.95 cloth, £8.95 Harman began his delightful series of articles in paperback. the Guardian. In this book he records just what it feels like to drive a cow home from Milk Hall 'This is the story of one farmer and one along the lanes, to milk by hand in a cold leaky farm', written to accompany a series of tele- cowshed, and to overcome the difficulties of 217 harvesting flax or vegetable seeds. He recalls seems clear that Cobbett entered Chesham but with candour and not without regret his chose to miss the pocket borough of enthusiastic bulldozing of hedges in the forties; Amersham. If so, his route was probably up but he has planted trees intermittently since he Fuller's Hill and through Pipers Wood to Mop was ten, and he was not the first hedge-grubber, End. The commons which he crossed were even on this demesne farm of small closes. The Sheephanger ('Shipangle' to us locals), map of the environs of the Grove on p. 6, which and what was then Wycombe Heath. superimposes the Tithe Award on the first six­ inch cadastral survey, shows that during 1840- Perhaps regrettably 'The Road to Wooden 79 ten small fields lost their identity and five Babylon' is the title of a chapter rather than of little woods or dells disappeared; but the the book. The eight cottages so called were following sixty years of low farming substanti­ replaced by a health farm, the predecessor of ally froze the late medieval field pattern for Champneys, and the site was renamed Orchard Tony Harman to inherit and to change. He was Leigh (quaere, because the neighbouring Lye born in 1912 at Little Grove Farm (within the Green was alternatively Leigh Green?). Now two virgates) which his father, a Bond Street the orchards are gone. silversmith, had bought very cheaply. In that year the Royal Commission on Historical The busiest of the Seventy Summers occurred Monuments identified the Grove Farm complex about halfway through. Mr Harman's public as 'especially worthy of preservation', as The life became increasingly varied, his farming less Times noticed; Lord Beauchamp's Ancient so. The Grove came to specialize in beef cattle, Monuments Bill had just been passed, and was and its crops were limited to wheat, barley and invoked to protect it. The manor had been held rape, with yields beyond all expectation. 'We by the Lowndes family since 1692, and its have given up our capability for doing a lot of tenant was allegedly the worst farmer in Bucks. different things'; but he foresees a future more Sydney Harman bought Grove soon after the diversified and less boring. The end of high Armistice, when landlords were panicking; his farming a century ago led to the countryside suu a:s:sutnect control in 1931, after one ye~r n.t becoming more beautiful, with more woods, Cambridge. During the twenties its bailiff, 'The more flowers and more wildlife. 'The same Preacher', a thoroughgoing nonconformist, set thing will happen again.' to work to teach young Tony everything he A.H.J.B. could. A Guide to the Historic Buildings of Milton The only local book like this, and its acknow­ Keynes. Paul Woodfield and Milton Keynes ledged exemplar, is John Wilkins's An English Development Council, pp. xvi + 192, 14 pp. Gamekeeper. 'I decided to carry on where he colour piates. Milton Keynes Developmt:Hi left off.' Mr Harman kept no diary, but where Council, 1986. ISBN 0 903379 05 8. one can check his memories they appear generally accurate, perceptive and quite fair. To report on 663 buildings is an heroic His highly memorable gallery of characters undertaking, and the authors have discharged it includes old-fashioned farming Puddephatts, with notable success. Their introduction strikes Batchelors and Browns who still did things a most welcome note: '. . . historic buildings properly, his formidable grandmother Alice . . . provide an intangible link with time past Warrender and his great friend Aneurin Bevan, and with geographical identity. Research has whom he introduced to and who in shown that this link seems to be an important return secured him Cowcroft, once a capital factor in the stability of ... human communi­ messuage of Chesham Bury. ties'. This needed saying.

Mr Harman's reconstruction of William The definition of 'Historic Buildings' here Cobbett's rural ride of 1822 is clearly right as applied is happily wider than that allowed to regards his own neighbourhood; however, it DoE listers, and many good recent buildings 218 are included. The authors are sensitive to town­ suggested dates. However, the more important scape, and sympathetic to the work of minor buildings are properly given much fuller architects of the nineteenth and twentieth treatment. centuries. The fact that a number of hands have been at work is not obtrusive, and the writing is The 'hammer beams' in the Chantry House, in general lucid and lively; the writer whose , would have been better work stands out in this respect is clearly a designated 'stub ties', since their structural person of wide-ranging scholarship. function is quite different from that of true hammer beams. Where dissatisfaction is felt it is not as a rule the fault of the authors. It must have been The lack of captions to make clear the view­ financial constraint that led to the exclusion of points of the pictures is a small obstacle to measured drawings, apart from one long comprehension, as it sometimes makes it section and one isometric; but the absence of difficult to relate picture and lexl. The pictures plans and sections makes it harder to under­ themselves are mostly informative, however, stand some of the buildings. One would have though of varying quality. The proof-reading very much liked to know more, for example, leaves something to be desired. about the 'quasi-cruck' at Brookfield Cottages, Bradwell (what is a quasi-cruck?). But this is The function of a guide is to accompany perhaps a specialist's complaint. Similarly the a visitor, and this book will come into its own brevity of the essays is no doubt unavoidable, when used in that way. It is a considerable but it has allowed very little in the way of tribute to it, however, that it is to some extent supporting evidence for most of the dates pro­ a substitute for a visit, giving a clear and com­ posed. This is the more unfortunate in that a prehensive conspectus of what there is to be number of photographs of timber-framed seen in the new City. builings give some grounds for questioning the J.C.T. OBITUARY

Rex Wailes sored by the Council for British Archaeology Reginald (Rex) Wailes, OBE, FSA, fFSA, -a most important and exacting task for which FIMechE, died in January 1986, aged 84, after he was awarded the OBE in 1971. He also had being ill for some time. He was a remarkable close links with the SPAB, for whom he pub­ character in many ways, combining the unusual lished a source book of Windmills and Water­ qualities of a practical and practising engineer mills. His best-known work, for which he will with a keen and perceptive artistic appreciation. be principally remembered, was The English Even at school he showed an interest in history, Windmill, published in 1954. His wide histori­ winning a school history prize. cal and practical knowledge in this field took him far and wide, and he actually designed and After training and apprenticeship he entered supervised the construction and erection of his father's engineering firm in the Euston a windmill for Colonial Williamsburg in Road. During the war, he adapted its equip­ Virginia. ment for the production of precision tools for the Government and finally became Manager. He was closely associated with the Institute of He was a member of the Bucks Archaeo­ Mechanical Engineers and the Newcomen logical Society for many years and his advice Society, of which he became President. was always available concerning windmills and watermills in the county. He was elected a Vice­ From 1963 to 1971 he served as consultant to President and was a regular attender at our the first Industrial Monument Survey spon- meetings. 219 His wife, Enid (nee Berridge) survives him, in 1945 and was Mayor 1951-53. At that time and through her his artistic appreciation was she and her husband were managers of the nurtured and sharpened. Her father ran the King's Head. A number of years in the printing Wigmore Hall (where I was often privileged to industry were followed by an appointment as hear music I could never otherwise have Appeals Secretary of a national charity (Spina enjoyed, from the Director's seats!). Enid was Bifida). She was a keen and informed member herself a talented violinist. One of Rex's great of this Society. f~iends was Tom Hennen, the artist, and he had E.V. a collection of his paintings-many of which, needless to say, were of windmills. Other losses to the Society during 1986 were occasioned by the deaths of Mr E. Muir-Smith, So passed a notable character who will be Mr D. E. North and Mr Alan Ruse who, for sadly missed and gratefully remembered in a many years, was a regular attender at the number of fields, but above all, as a man. Outings. Lady (Evelyn) Pauncefort-Duncombe E.C.R. of Great Brickhill died on 31 May not long before her ninetieth birthday; although not an Mrs Kate White active member she always took a lively interest Kate White was a great Aylesbury per­ in the Society for the near sixty years that she sonality. Starting as a junior in Aylesbury was a member. She had resigned as a member Borough offices, she was elected to that council a year before her death.

THE SOCIETY Membership Sue Gill (who assists the Hon. Archivist), and The Society learnt with regret during 1986 of G. N. Gowing, MA, FMA (Museum Curator). the deaths of Lady (Evelyn) Duncombe, Mrs Miss M. M. T. Gornall assists the Hon. T'\ P Nnrth Kate 'vVhitc, E. ~.1:uir - Smith, ~. ~ · ..... '-' ...... , Librarian_ F. Peers, and Alan Ruse. Thanks were expressed to Mrs Elvey for the At 31 December 1986, paid-up membership bequest of £100 received under the will of the comprised 396 ordinary members, 133 family late Gerald Elvey. memberships, 3 juniors (exclusive of those in family memberships) and 16 affiliated societies. The Liberty Trust was thanked for a grant of £150 towards rebinding of books in the Society Council Library and for ihe gifi io the Museum of a Council met five times during the year, under John Schorne pilgrim medallion. the chairmanship of Dr A. H. J. Baines, FSA. With great regret Council accepted the resigna­ Council elected Miss T. E. Vernon, now the tion for reasons of ill health of Mrs E. M. senior member of the Society, having joined in Elvey, for many years the Hon. Archivist, and 1921, an Honorary Member. wishes to express its sincere thanks for the great contributions made to the work of the Society A grant of £10 was made to the Buckingham­ by both Mrs Elvey and her late husband, G. R. shire Council for Voluntary Service. Elvey, FSA. Mrs L. M. Head undertook to double the job of Hon. Archivist with that of Hon. Librarian and Publications Officer. Co­ Bucks County Council opted to Council were Miss M. E. Devereux Library & Museum Sub-Committee (Membership Secretary), E. J. Bull (Newsletter Society representatives were Elliott Viney, E ditor and Meeting Organizer), A. F. Elcoate FSA, Dr A. H. J. Baines, FSA and Dr R. P. (Hon. Secretary, Natural History Section), Mrs Hagerty. 220 Financial stringency has hit projects that the Paintings, by Dr E. Clive Rouse, FSA. County Council had been planning relating to 16 April: In conjunction with Bucks Historical the establishment of Museum services outside Association. 1066 and all that-Domesday Aylesbury. Thus the County Council has had to Book and the Normans, by Professor R. withdraw from the joint scheme with Wycombe Allen Brown. District Council to build a Arts 10 May: At the Misbourne Centre and in con­ Centre and Library and also to postpone plans junction with the Centre. Old Chiltern Maps, for extension of the library at Milton Keynes by Hugh Hanley, and Missenden Abbey, by also to include museum space. Mike Farley. 8 November: At the Grange School, Aylesbury, Most worrying for the Society has been the in conjunction with the Bucks Historical discovery of structural defects in the County Museum. Rectification by the lessees, the Association. Manorial Records of Aylesbury, County Council, will require considerable by Hugh Hanley, and The 1986 Excavations work, of which only the most vital can be at Walton, by Hal Dalwood. carried out in the present financial climate. 6 December: Viking Period London-the Making of a Capital, by Dr Pamela Night­ Careful planning is needed to ensure that ingale. essential repairs can be done with least dis­ ruption to the opening and usual Museum Outings activities. Heavy items (e.g. filing cabinets) Six outings were arranged by the President: have had to be removed from the second and 17 May: Kent. Rochester Cathedral and castle top floors, a considerable inconvenience for and Lullingstone Castle (G. Hart-Dyke). staff and creating further pressure on already 14 June: Northants. Castle Ashby (Lord inadequate storage space. Northampton), Stanford Hall (Lady Braye), and Rugby. It can at least be reported that refurbishment 19 July: . Stanton Harcourt, is said to be in hand of a building in Great house, garden and church (Hon. Mrs Gas­ Missenden as Museum store to replace the store coigne), and Pusey House gardens. on land in Walton, planned to be sold by the County Council. 16 August: Perambulation of the bounds of Monks Risborough, led by Arnold Baines. Cicely Baker Prize for Historical Research 13 September: Warwickshire. Ragley Hall, Nine entries were received for the third com­ Alcester (Lord Hertford), and Packwood petition. Their high standard posed a difficult House (National Trust) at Hockley Heath. problem for the judging committee (Elliott 18 October: Bucks Church Crawl. Little Viney, Mrs Jean Davis, Hugh Hanley and John Hampden, Great Hampden, Lacey Green, Chenevix Trench), but the prize was finally Bradenham, Hughenden, Radnage, Bledlow, awarded to Mrs Jo French, for a paper and Horsenden. published in the present volume. Defending Our Monuments Lecture Series In the course of the year, the Hon. Secretary, Six lectures were organized by Ted Bull and on behalf of the Society and the Council for were held generally on Saturday afternoons, British Archaeology, has dealt with some 90 usually at the County Museum: planning applications. Objection was registered to four applications for listed Building Con­ 18 January: Churches of Buckinghamshire, by sent. These were for retrospective consent to Elliott Viney, FSA. demolition of the baldachino in the erstwhile 8 February: Bancroft-Pre-historic Farm to chapel at Britwell House, Burnham (it turned Roman Villa, by Bob Williams. out that the remains were not restorable), to 8 March: Buckinghamshire Medieval Wall demolition of a cottage at Stoke House, Stoke 221 Poges (consent believed refused), to conversion resiting a cafe/filling station alongside the into offices of the Derby Arms, St Mary's A5/A5T just to the east of the proposed motel! Square, Aylesbury (refused), and to works filling station site (result not known). proposed by the County Council at Hunter­ combe House, Burnham (not resolved). As regards the proposed moving of the statue of John Hampden in the Market Square, Ayles­ Objection was also made to an application to bury, neither the Society nor the Aylesbury demolish a building at the rear of 3 Market Society found any interest among members or Square, Buckingham (refused and building now others. Listed). County Museum Archaeological Group The Hon. Secretary has also been involved in There has been no excavation in the county opposition to four applications to the Depart­ this year calling for major deployment of ment of the Environment for Scheduled Group effort, but the Group has continued to Monument Consent. These were two by the give invaluable assistance to the County Field Milton Keynes Development Corporation, one Archaeologist in, among other tasks, post­ to make a cricket pitch on top of earthworks of excavation work which is sometimes tedious the Deserted Medieval Village at Woughton-on­ and always time-consuming. the-Green (refused) and the other to build houses obliterating the earthworks of a monas­ Publications tic grange at Shenley Church End (undecided). Records Volume 26 (1984) was available at Council were proposing to the Annual General Meeting and distribution build old people's accommodation on the open was completed during May. A Spring and space adjacent to and within the circuit of the Autumn Newsletter were also distributed to pre-historic limits of ·Des borough Castle members. It is understood that some numbers (refused). Another application might have of the Newsletter were donated to the Bodleian resulted in damage to a mound, most probably Library, since when the Society has been asked a windmiH u1uuuJ, .itl V"~vTavendon (refused but to supply to four of the six Copyright Libraries. on other grounds). The Society once again owes its thanks to John Chenevix Trench and Mike Farley, FSA, who Three other planning applications to build in edit Records and to Ted Bull who edits the areas of archaeological interest although not Newsletters, as also to the Corps of Deliverers Scheduled were also opposed. One was to build who help with distribution. The monograph on a motel/filling station on a piece of land Roman Milton Keynes, published by the immediately outside the defence line of the Society on behalf of the Milton Keynes Romano-British town of Magiovinium in Bow Development Corporation, became avaiiabie Brickhill between the old A5 and the new A5T early in 1987. (refused). Two others were concerned with

NATURAL HISTORY SECTION

In 1986 the Section held monthly meetings, Foxcote Reservoir to see wintering birds and seven in the field and five indoors at the County also to Buckingham Canal where he explained Museum. The Committee met three times, at the management of this BBONT reserve. 13 Forest Close, , by kind permission 15 February: Mr Brian Williamson of of Mr and Mrs H. Bradburn. An outline of the BBONT and leader of the Oxfordshire Bat monthly meetings is given below. Group gave a very interesting talk on 'Bats' to 11 January: On a fine but cold and windy a large and enthusiastic audience. day Mr David Roberts led a party of 17 to 15 March: With his subject 'Caterpillars', 222 Mr Victor Scott entertained us with another of pernel, Creeping Jenny, Red Bartsia, Figwort, his interesting talks. Foxglove, Gypsywort, Yellow Archangel, 5 April: The Section held its annual general Aspen, Jointed Rush, Wall-rue Spleenwort and meeting, which was followed by a talk on Male Fern (Dryopterisfilix-mas). 'Wildlife in village' by Mrs Susan 11 October: With Mr Victor Scott leading Cowdy,MBE. the fungus foray at Stockgrove Park when 30 May: A small garden party, guided by Mr ground conditions were very dry, 21 species Victor Scott as night drew in, saw badgers at were identified: Amanita citrina, A. muscaria, their setts. A. pantherina, A. rubescens, Amanitopsis 28 June: The warden, Mr John Phillips, fulva, Armillariella me/lea, Boletus aereus, explained to the 17 members present the Collybia maculata, Hygrophoropsis auran­ management of Ragpits reserve tiaca, Hypholoma fasciculare, Laccaria and pointed out the rich flora it possesses. toccata, L. turpis, Mycena galericulata, M. po/ygramma, Paxillus involutus, Piptoporus 26 July: A periodic visit to Bledlow Cop, by betulinus, Russula cyanoxantha; R. emetica, R. kind permission of Lord Carrington. The site is nigrans, R. ochroleuca, Scleroderma citrinum. now much overgrown and Mr Victor Scott verified the plants seen, the details being passed 22 November: Our member, Dr May Reed, to the County Museum's Keeper of Biology have a very interesting talk and showed many who, over the years, has kept a record of plants slides of her recent travels in the countryside of identified. China. 30 August: Mrs Susan Cowdy on a cool, 13 December: A pleasant afternoon was cloudy afternoon led the party at Wilstone and spent looking at slides on natural history Marsworth reservoirs when the following birds subjects presented by members of the Section. were observed: Mute Swan, Coot, Mallard, Our Recording Secretary reports that 1986, Pochard, Ruddy Duck, Great Crested Grebe, with its dull, damp summer, was a lean year for Little Grebe, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Green butterflies-a great drop was noted from the Sandpiper as well as House Martins and a usual numbers. Several reports of sightings young Cuckoo. were received of Hummingbird Hawkmoths, 20 September: The following were noted at two being observed at Chiltern Close, Stone. It when Mr Aubrey Woodward was a poor breeding season for many birds, was our guide: Ragged Robin, Wood Sorrel, such as Swallows and Warblers and, especially Spindle, Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, in the Aylesbury area, Whitethroats and Water Starwort, Dogwood, Honeysuckle, Spotted Flycatchers. Great Valerian, Devilsbit Scabious, Fleabane, A. F. Elcoate Great Burdock, Hemp Agrimony, Yellow Pim-

223 OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY (as at 31 December 1986)

President ELLIOTT VINEY, FSA

Vice-Presidents LADY BARLOW SIR FRANK FRANCIS, KCB, FSA, FMA MAX DAVIES PROFESSOR W. R. MEAD T. A. HUME, CBE, FSA, FMA SIR DENNIS WRIGHT, GCMG DR E.' CLIVE ROUSE, MBE, FSA COMMANDER THE HON. JOHN MAJOR J. D. YOUNG FREEMANTLE, Lord Lieutenant and MRS S. COWDY, MBE Custos Rotulorum

Council MRS E. M. ARKELL (CC) A. F. ELCOATE R. J. AYERS MRS SUE GILL DR A. H. J. BAINES (Chairman) C. N. GOWING, FMA E. J. BULL D. D. MILLER MRS B~ARBARA HURMAN H. A. HANLEY MRS PAT COLE G. C. LAMB J. H. COLLIER-WRIGll:T MRS F. SHAND KYDD (CC) MISSM. E.DEVEREUX E. R. THROSSELL, FRIBA (CC: Nominated by the County Council)

Hon. Secretary Hon. Treasurer DR R. P. HAGERTY H. I. R. SPRINGTHORPE

Hon. Editor Hon. Archivist & Librarian J. G. CHENEVIX TRENCH MRS L. M. HEAD

Hon. Secretary (Natural History Section) A. F. ELCUATE

The Society's Representatives on the County Library and Museum Sub-Committee ELLIOTT VINEY, FSA DR A. H. J. BAINES, FSA DR R. P. HAGERTY

Headquarters THE COUNTY MUSEUM, CHURCH STREET, AYLESBURY HP20 2QP

224

Copyright Bucks Archaeological Society 1987

CONTENTS

Excavations at Bierton, 1979 David Allen Introduction and Historical Background ...... 1 The Earlier Prehistoric Period ...... 7 The Late Iron Age 'Belgic' Period Structural Evidence ...... 9 The Late Iron Age Finds ...... 15 Discussion ...... 45 The Roman Period Structural Evidence ...... 48 The Roman Finds ...... 52 Discussion ...... 76 The Early Saxon Period ...... 78 The Medieval Period Structural Evidence ...... 80 The Medieval Finds ...... 84 Discussion ...... 94 The Post-medieval Period Structural Evidence ...... 96 The Post-medieval Finds ...... 100 Discussion ...... 113 The Question of Continuity ...... 115 The Wendover Election of 1741 A. F. Mead ...... 121 The Origins of the Borough of Newport Pagnell A. H. J. Baines ...... 128 Wolverton: a Magnet for Migrants, 1837-1861 J. French ...... 138 Two Iron-Age Sites on the Newport Pagnell By-pass Michael Farley and David Knight ...... 148 An Archaeological Survey of the Dorney Area Philip Carstairs ...... _ 163 Excavations at the Motte, Weston Turville Manor, 1985 Peter A. St J. Yeoman ...... 169 The Turvilles and the Castle of West on Turville R. P. Hagerty ...... 179 and Hedgerows: a Landscape Study. Part I Peter Casselden ...... 182 Archaeological Notes from Buckinghamshire County Museum ...... 211 The Museum ...... 215 County Record Office ...... 215 Reviews ...... · ...... · .... . 216 Obituary ...... 219 The Society ...... 220 Natural History Section ...... 222 Officers of the Society ...... 224

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