Archaeological Investigations at the Church of Saint Mary, Princes Risborough, 2005 and 2011

Abstract

An evaluation (2005) and a watching brief (2011) were carried out at Saint Mary’s church, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire by John Moore Heritage Services. These investigations retrieved finds of Iron Age and Roman date, and, importantly, identified a number of earlier structural phases, which enables a major re-interpretation of the development of the church. Previous interpretations of the church had suggested a simple nave and chancel structure that pre-dated the 13th century, followed by a lengthening of the nave in the 14th century. Excavations showed this to be incorrect. Limited archaeological evidence survives for a Phase 1 building, poorly dated, but probably pre-10th century. The Phase 2 structure, over which the present nave sits, was initially longer with earlier walls under the tower and to the west of the tower, probably of a 10th century church. In the 13th century, the aisles were added on the north and south sides, and the arcades inserted. In the 14th century the west end of the church was reduced in length. In the 15th century the present tower was built. Further internal but minor phases can be detected from the late 16th to the early 19th century. In 1867-8 the church was repaired, and in places reconstructed. The primary purpose of this article is to discuss the recognised alterations to the phasing of the church, and to place this in a larger landscape context. For the purposes of this paper, the term lay church is used, which relates to royal minsters and other churches founded in greater minster’s parochiae but were where tithes were tied to the manor’s church.