This volume is a result of a combination of a series of separate fieldwork projects undertaken in the late 1990s and early 2000s brought about by gravel extraction works. All four projects are linked by their location within a narrow 'strip parish' called Ridge that stretches from the river Colne in the north to Arkley in the south (now in Greater London) a distance of 10.1 km (6.3 miles). Three of the four projects (all with prehistoric to modern era finds) were located in the north of the parish while the fourth was located in the south of the parish towards Arkley. Of the four projects, one was classified as an 'enhanced watching brief' (Part 1), one was an 'evaluation/mitigation' (Part 2), one was a formal excavation (Part 3) and one was a landscape assessment of a small estate held by Hertfordshire County Council (Part 4). Each of these disparate projects is of interest in their own right. However, by combining them in this volume it is hoped that their value will be enhanced and that they will contribute towards a better understanding of the evolution of the local landscape.