Biddlesden, Abbey House, Buckinghamshire

In 1978, during grading operations and the cutting of stanchion pits for a milking complex at least four Roman pottery kilns and associated kiln debris were located to the north of the farmyard. Several ditches, one of which contained a human burial and another which produced an important fitment of a late Iron Age tankard, were also record. Under a condition attached to the planning consent for the construction of another agricultural building to the north of the earlier discoveries, a two day watching brief was carried out by Oxford Archaeological Unit. No more kilns were located, although much residual topsoil remained over much of the site and the existence of more kilns in the area cannot be entirely discounted. The only significant discovery was a single ditch, containing pottery probably produced in the nearby kilns, and a deeper deposit of possible Roman date whose exact nature and extent could not be determined.