Monument record 0014010000 - GRIM'S DITCH,WOODLANDS PARK

Summary

Known length of Iron Age dyke system called Grim's Ditch extended through geophysical survey at Woodland's Park

Protected Status/Designation

Ancient Monument 1021198: BUCKINGHAMSHIRE GRIM'S DITCH: 350M LONG SECTION EXTENDING NORTH EAST FROM COTTAGE FARM (DBC7209)
Planning Notification Area: Earthworks of Prehistoric linear boundary of Grims Ditch (DBC9600)
SHINE: Buried remains of Late Prehistoric major boundary known as Grim's Ditch, N of Road Farm (DBC8316)

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Type and Period (2)

BANK (EARTHWORK) (Early Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 700 BC? to 42 AD?)
DITCH (Early Iron Age to Late Iron Age - 700 BC? to 42 AD?)

Description

Dimensions - Width 0850 cm Height 0120
Plan Form - CURVILINEAR
GRIM'S DITCH VISIBLE IN PLANTATION NE OF WOODLANDS PARK & RUNS WITH INTERVALS FOR ABOUT 1KM SW TOWARDS RAILWAY, THEN LOST FOR ABOUT 3KM UNTIL REAPPEARS IN OAKEN GROVE, GREAT HAMPDEN. RAMPART AT BEST SECTION 120CM ABOVE DITCH BOTTOM (B1-2).
DYKE CLEAR ON HILL & GOOD CONDITION UNDER TREES. SCHEDULED: SAM 35339. SCHEDULING REVISED FEBRUARY 2004 (B3). Geophysical survey carried out by the Bartlett-Clark Consultancy in 1998 north of Road Farm (between SP88460303 and SP88570309) and west of Hunt's Green Farm (between SP89160364 and SP89200396) failed to produce conclusive evidence for the earthwork, although traces of the bank and ditch are thought to have been detected adjacent to a surviving length of the earthworks at SP89170366 (B17, B19).
Magnetometer survey along the projected line of Grim's Ditch to the southwest of Woodlands Park (at SP88720315 and SP88870327) failed to produce any evidence for the monument due to extensive subsurface debris. Resistivity survey of a further area to the west of Hunt's Green Farm (at SP89170367) was carried out to test previous survey results. Anomalies suggest that Grim's Ditch continues to the north, with a second roughly parallel bank and ditch on its east side. 2 profiles across earthwork recorded by Network Archaeology in February 1999 (B18).

Sources (21)

<1>SBC12646 Bibliographic reference: RCHM BUCKS 1 P176.
<1>SBC14166 Bibliographic reference: SHEAHAN P26.
<2>SBC19 Map: 05 1960 6INCH MAP.
<2>SBC265 Bibliographic reference: ALLCROFT A H 1908 EARTHWORK OF ENGLAND PP511-514.
<3>SBC15445 Bibliographic reference: VCH BUCKS 2 PP34-35.
<3>SBC6652 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 2004. SCHEDULING LISTS OF INSPECTORATE OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS: SAM 35339.
<4>SBC3241 Article in serial: O G S Crawford. 1931. 'CHILTERN GRIM'S DITCH', IN ANTIQUITY 5 PP161-171. Vol 5.
<4>SBC664 Unpublished document: 1850. AUCTION ADVERTISEMENT, GREAT MISSENDEN INCLOSURE, NOV 1850.
<5>SBC6477 Article in serial: M W Hughes. 1931. 'GRIMS DITCH & CUTHWULF'S EXPEDITION TO THE CHILTERNS IN AD 571', IN ANTIQUITY 5 PP291-314. Vol 5.
<5>SBC6887 Unpublished document: KEEN D (SEE LETTER FILED).
<6>SBC16526 Article in serial: Mortimer Wheeler. 1934. WHEELER R E M 1934 'LONDON & THE GRIM'S DITCHES', IN ANTIQUARIES JOURNAL 14 PP254-263. Vol 14.
<7>SBC4461 Article in serial: James Dyer. 1963. 'THE CHILTERNS GRIMS DITCH', IN ANTIQUITY 37 PP46-49. Vol 37.
<8>SBC6307 Bibliographic reference: J F Head. 1955. 'EARLY MAN IN SOUTH BUCKS' PP65-66,77,89,103-104,111-112.
<9>SBC1800 Article in serial: Richard Bradley. 1968. 'SOUTH OXON GRIM'S DITCH & ITS SIGNIFICANCE', IN OXONIENSIA 33 PP1-13. Vol 33.
<10>SBC6418 Article in serial: J Hinchliffe. 1975. 'EXCAVATIONS AT GRIM'S DITCH, MONGEWELL,1974', IN OXONIENSIA 40 PP122-135. Vol 40.
<11>SBC16525 Unpublished document: Mortimer Wheeler. 1930. PHOTOCOPY OF WHEELER'S NOTES SUPPLIED BY C SAUNDERS, VERULAMIUM MUSEUM, FEB 1980.
<12>SBC4487 Unpublished document: H B Eaton. 1986. 'GRIM'S DITCH'.
<16>SBC19564 Unpublished document: Buckinghamshire County Museum Archaeological Service. 1997. An Archaeological and Management Survey of Grim's Ditch, Buckinghamshire.
<17>SBC19565 Unpublished document: Network Archaeology. 1998. Grim's Ditch Archaeological and Management Survey Phase II. pp3,8-9, Figs 6,15.
<18>SBC19566 Unpublished document: Network Archaeology. 1999. Grim's Ditch Archaeological and Management Survey Phase III. pp4-5,11,14-16, Appendix 2, Figs 6,23,24,35,36,45,46,47.
<19>SBC19568 Unpublished document: Alistair Bartlett. 1998. Bartlett A 1998 Grim's Ditch, Buckinghamshire: Report on Archaeogeophysical Survey. pp3-4, Plans 5-8.

Location

Grid reference	Centred SP 8895 0342 (410m by 420m) (Centred on)
Civil Parish	THE LEE, Chiltern, Buckinghamshire
Civil Parish	GREAT MISSENDEN, Chiltern, Buckinghamshire