YEW TREE COTTAGE, MAIDS MORETON, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Oxford Archaeology has undertaken a programme of archaeological works at Yew Tree Cottage, Maids Moreton in Buckinghamshire in advance of the refurbishment and extension of the house (NGR SP 703 355). The works included building investigation and recording, archaeological test pitting within the house and archaeological watching brief during the excavation of foundation trenches for the new extension.
The main cottage is cruck-framed and although the roof has been raised in the 20th century the cruck blades and much of the rest of the original roof structure remains in-situ enclosed by the modern rafters. The cruck blades rise from a low stone plinth up to a yoke at the apex which supports a square set ridge piece. Each pair of blades is braced by a collar immediately below purlin level. Dendrochronology has not been undertaken as part of the current project but the original cottage is likely to be of later 15th- or 16th-century date. A single storey extension was taken down in the current works to allow the construction of the new range and this previous extension was of late 18th or 19th century date.
Three test pits were excavated within the property; two exposed a compact clay material used as a firm base for the construction of the cottage. This was overlain by a thin layer of mortar in which the stone slab floor was embedded. A further test pit in the hall revealed the 20th century foundation trench for the stone plinth to support the timber frame of the cottage. Foundation trenches excavated at the rear of the cottage for the new extension found no evidence of archaeological features.