Central Bedfordshire Council granted planning permission for a mixed-use development on Land East of Ampthill Road and North of Bedford Road surrounding Great Thickthorn Farm, Houghton Conquest. Due to the potentially sensitive nature of the archaeological remains identified within the permitted development area the CBC Archaeologist requested archaeological monitoring of eight boreholes within the eastern part of the site The boreholes were monitored so that any archaeological deposits encountered during the work could be investigated and recorded or, in the case of exceptional remains (such as human remains), protected by moving the location of the borehole. The boreholes were hand-dug to a depth of c.0.5m revealing topsoil and natural geological deposits. Each borehole measured 0.2m in diameter and was initially excavated with a shovel and a posthole digger under the supervision of the attending archaeologist . No archaeological deposits were encountered