Stowe House, New Forecourt, Stowe, Buckinghamshire

In August and September 2002 OA carried out an archaeological watching brief at Stowe House, Stowe, Buckinghamshire (NGR SP 6700 3750). The work was commissioned by Purcell Miller Tritton architects in advance of re-laying of the north forecourt and the installation of new drainage.
The watching brief revealed two stone structures, which pre-date the existing east colonnade at the front of the main house. The structures appear to be the foundations of aedicules (small rooms), which once formed part of a structure flanking the terrace in front of Stowe House. The structures are depicted on Jacques Rigaud's illustration of the building dated 1739. The structures are thus 18th century date or earlier. Also revealed were 19th-century brick-built culverts, which had been inserted into the remains of an earlier 18th-century terrace gravel surface.