Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire: Archaeological Landscape Investigations
Author(s): Magnus Alexander
This report describes the results of a substantial multi-disciplinary landscape analysis project that covered a broad study area of 36 km2 centred on Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire but focussed on the Registered park and garden. Following an introduction to the project and the study area, the report summarises the known archaeology within the study area and then describes the known historical background and development of the site. It then presents the results of aerial photographic and lidar analysis across the broad study area, followed by the results of analytical earthwork survey and a summary of the previously published geophysical survey. It then reports the results of various sub-surface archaeological investigations. These are followed by conclusions which summarise the story of Wrest as revealed by this work and compares methodological approaches. The appendices discuss the place names of the area, examine Domesday Book, and present the key figurative sources used in this report, including an 1831 sketchbook by Earl de Grey. The detailed methodologies used in the study are then given followed by the details of new EHA database records updated or created during the aerial photographic survey and the results of a coring survey.
- Report Number:
- 6/2013
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 342
- Keywords:
- Excavation Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces Geophysical Survey Ground Penetrating Radar Medieval Modern Post Medieval Survey Aerial Photograph Interpretation Lidar Survey
