Twenty five places of special interest in the county, including medieval earthworks, historic parkland and Iron Age hill forts have been earmarked for possible protection by Historic England.

Bucks County Council’s Historic Environment Forum, made up of councillors as well as representatives from the National Trust, Bucks Archaeological Society and English Heritage, has drawn up a list of sites after Historic England confirmed that the county could be included in their Designation Yearbook for 2016/17.

Throughout the course of the year, Historic England adds hundreds of new buildings and sites to the National Heritage List for England and the yearbook is designed to be an illustrative record of these.

The list of sites recommended for protection includes The Rye, which has remains of a Roman villa and Yewden Villa, a Roman villa complex, both in High Wycombe and Warren Wood in Little Marlow, which is home to medieval earthwork enclosures.

Three ring ditches with mortuary enclosures and a Neolithic settlement on a former Thames island at Low Grounds, Marlow and a World War One practice trench earthworks at Pullingshill Wood, Medmenham have also been nominated.  

Ruined 19th/20th century Cadmore End Kiln in Lane End and Common Wood, Penn and Jenkins Wood, Great Missenden, have also been recognised for their woodland earthwork – one Roman enclosure and the other medieval.

Buckinghamshire County Council's Historic Environment Record Officer, Julia Wise, said designation would give these sites legal protection from disturbances such as plough damage to buried sites, levelling to earthworks, and damage from night-hawking by illegal metal detecting.

The next step is to prioritise the list and submit it to Historic England for them to consider.

Warren Whyte, Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, who chairs the Forum, said: “Our county's history, archaeology and environment are important as part of our heritage and provide us with a sense of belonging.

“Only the most important sites are considered for national designation, and this shows how strong our heritage is.”

Full list of proposed sites for protection:

Pullingshill Wood, Medmenham - World War 1 practice trench earthworks.
Warren Wood, Little Marlow - Medieval earthwork enclosures in woodland.
Low Grounds, Marlow - Three ring ditches with associated mortuary enclosures and Neolithic settlement on a former Thames island.
Yewden Villa, High Wycombe - Roman villa complex.
The Rye, High Wycombe - Roman villa remains.
Cadmore End Kiln, Lane End - Ruined 19th/20th century brick kiln.
Dorney Rowing Lake - Triple ring ditch under a reconstructed mound next to Eton College's Rowing Lake.
Dorney Reach - Neolithic oval barrow.
Taplow Court - Late Bronze Age/Iron Age hill fort with high status Saxon re-occupation.
Richings Park, Iver - early 18th century parkland and gardens.
Chenies Bottom - 19th century water meadow earthworks.
Jenkins Wood, Great Missenden - Medieval earthwork in woodland.
Common Wood, Penn - Roman enclosure earthwork in woodland.
Quarrendon, Aylesbury - Deserted medieval settlements, Tudor mansion and garden earthworks, deserted medieval hamlet and moat earthworks, (two sites).
Fleet Marston and Berryfields, Aylesbury - Roman roadside settlement.
Broughton Farm, Weston Turville - Medieval moat with associated ridge and furrow and house platforms.
Boarstall Duck Decoy - Duck decoy owned by the National Trust.
Boarstall Tower and village - Fortified medieval gatehouse, moat, village earthworks and pottery production. ECW siege.
Stoke Mandeville Old Church - Ruined medieval church and churchyard with earthworks nearby.
Lillingstone Lovell - Manorial earthworks in village.
Bourton Grounds, Buckingham - Romano-Celtic Temple.
Hampden Fields, Weston Turville - enclosed Roman farmstead.
Long Crendon - Iron Age hill fort.
Lenborough - Medieval homesteads and associated earthworks and trackways.