The Network Rail East West Rail (Western Section) Phase 2 Order TRANSPORT AND WORKS ACT 1992 Transport and Works (Applications and Objections Procedure) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 THE NETWORK RAIL EAST WEST RAIL (WESTERN SECTION) PHASE 2 ORDER APPENDIX 7.1: CULTURAL HERITAGE DESK BASED ASSESSMENT (EWR2-ENV-REP-PBL- Document Reference 200008) Author Network Rail Date April 2017 Date of revision and April 2017 revision number 2.0 The Network Rail East West Rail (Western Section) Phase 2 Order Appendix 7.1 Heritage Desk Based Assessment Document Control Checked by Prepared by Liz Murray (technical) Alison Plummer Checked by Approved by Sally Newbold (quality assurance) Stephen Cain The Network Rail East West Rail (Western Section) Phase 2 Order Appendix 7.1 Heritage Desk Based Assessment CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Circumstances of the Project........................................................................ 1 1.2 Location, Topography and Geology ............................................................. 1 2. POLICY, APPROACH AND GUIDANCE ............................................................ 3 2.1 Planning Background and Legislative Framework ........................................ 3 2.2 Approach ...................................................................................................... 4 3. ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ....................................................................... 8 3.1 Desk-based Assessment .............................................................................. 8 3.2 Outline Method Statement ............................................................................ 8 4. BASELINE CONDITION.................................................................................... 10 4.1 Data Collection ........................................................................................... 10 4.2 Historical and Archaeological Background ................................................. 11 4.3 Archaeological Interventions ...................................................................... 20 5. GAZETTEER OF HERITAGE ASSETS ............................................................ 25 6. STATEMENT OF IMPORTANCE/SENSITIVITY ............................................... 82 7. SETTING ASSESSMENT.................................................................................. 84 7.1 Introduction to the Concept of Setting ........................................................ 84 7.2 Assessing the importance of Setting to the significance of Heritage Assets .................................................................................................................. 89 7.3 Cherwell District Sub-Section ..................................................................... 90 7.4 Aylesbury Vale – Claydon/Quainton Sub-Section .................................... 100 7.5 Aylesbury Vale – Winslow/Swanbourne Sub-section ............................... 118 7.6 Milton Keynes Sub-section ....................................................................... 125 7.7 Central Bedfordshire sub-section ............................................................. 143 7.8 Bedford Borough Sub-section .................................................................. 153 7.9 Aylesbury Vale – Aylesbury Sub-section .................................................. 180 7.10 Wycombe District Sub-section.................................................................. 191 The Network Rail East West Rail (Western Section) Phase 2 Order Appendix 7.1 Heritage Desk Based Assessment 8. CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ASSETS .......................... 217 8.1 Introduction............................................................................................... 217 8.2 Statement of Cultural Heritage Significance ............................................. 218 9. HARM TO SIGNIFICANCE AND POTENTIAL IMPACT / BENEFIT .............. 225 9.1 Harm to Significance ................................................................................ 225 10. MITIGATION STRATEGY ............................................................................... 235 10.1 Policy Recommendations ......................................................................... 235 11. BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................. 238 11.1 Documentary Sources .............................................................................. 238 LIST OF FIGURES Plate 1: View from RAF Bicester (SM1021455) towards the Project with the A4421 in the foreground ......................................................................................................................... 91 Plate 2: Ridge and furrow on land to the north of Manor Farm with the railway overbridge to the rear. The line is screened at present, although it is likely that this will be removed to widen the trackbed. ........................................................................................................... 94 Plate 3: The tranquil setting at the terminus of West End. ................................................... 98 Plate 4: The Chiltern Line on an embankment to the west of West End, ridge and furrow is present in the fields in the foreground................................................................................ 99 Plate 5: View from the level crossing, the location of a proposed overbridge, back toward Launton village ................................................................................................................ 100 Plate 7: Doddershall House behind the tree screen in the right of the picture, set within a rural landscape. The railway is screened by the hedgerow in the middle distance on the left. ........................................................................................................................................ 105 Plate 8: The view from the church, across the valley with the railway located along the hedgeline in the rear of the foreground. ........................................................................... 107 Plate 9: View from edge of Conservation Area toward railway, showing how the topography hides the line. .................................................................................................................. 109 Plate 10: Views from the north side of Queen Catherine Road toward the Project. ............ 111 Plate 11: Illustrative views from the location of Poundon House across the valley, including the railway. ...................................................................................................................... 113 Plate 12: The Energy from Waste plant ............................................................................. 115 Plate 13: View of the crossroads from the church .............................................................. 119 Plate 14: Overbridge at the northern edge of Winslow Conservation Area with the railway in cutting. ............................................................................................................................ 121 Plate 15: Rural views from the setting of Horwood House will be impacted by a proposed construction compound in the fields to the left of the Spinney ......................................... 125 Plate 16: Caldecotte shrunken medieval village, overgrown and with little interpretation. The development in the background prevents views to the railway......................................... 127 The Network Rail East West Rail (Western Section) Phase 2 Order Appendix 7.1 Heritage Desk Based Assessment Plate 17: Loughton moated site facing northeast toward Milton Keynes station and the railway, neither of which are visible. ................................................................................ 128 Plate 18: View from the church towards the railway line showing the mature treescape that creates a good sense of enclosure. ................................................................................. 129 Plate 19: The view from the church (on the right) toward the level crossing on Simpson Road, there will be no change in this view. ...................................................................... 130 Plate 20: Views out from the church to the project, facing northeast .................................. 132 Plate 21: The former Little Loughton village green located at the end of a no-through road. ........................................................................................................................................ 133 Plate 22: The wide aspect of Sherwood Drive with well-defined and enclosed boundaries formed by the trees either side. The railway is to the left-hand bank and Bletchley Park is to the right behind the chainlink fence that denotes the boundary of much of the site.......... 136 Plate 23: Historic properties mixed amongst more modern development within Bletchley. 137 Plate 24: Assets located around the lock on the Grand Union Canal with bridge 96A in the background. .................................................................................................................... 139 Plate 25: Milton Keynes bus station ................................................................................... 141 Plate 26: The Crossing House (1386644) and associated level crossing at Woburn Sands .......................................................................................................................................