Excavation of a trench by N Cowlard and E Corke, together with members of the SyAS Roman Studies Group, designed to relocate the trench that Charles Darwin cut through the villa in 1877 and so fix the location of the four or five rooms exposed at the time, the location of which were not determined in the 1995–7 SyAS excavation of the site. The excavation added to the evidence for the villa from previous work, but there was nothing to suggest that Darwin’s trench had been located. (416)

Geophysical survey by J English of SyAS, involving a magnetometry scan of the inner precinct area, did not provide any evidence for buried structures, although a number of anomalies that may represent kilns were recorded. An historic building recording survey of the gatehouse was also carried out, and a watching brief was undertaken during remedial works, with soil displaced by animal burrowing dry-sieved for material before the burrows were infilled. A small amount of predominantly Iron Age and medieval pottery was recovered. (419

Evaluation by D Calow of SyAS revealed a number of ditches containing 2nd and 3rd century AD pottery, together with evidence for ironworking.

Geophysical survey by D Calow of SyAS. Resistivity survey within the chapel did not reveal significant results or evidence for any earlier structures, apart from the suggestion of three possible postholes. Two fairly substantial anomalies were noted 20m to the east of the chapel, although no dating evidence was noted at the surface.

Geophysical survey by D and A Graham of SyAS on the site of an aerial photograph anomaly. Evidence for a possible field system and droveway heading in the direction of the Roman site to the south-east was revealed. Subsequent fieldwalking of the site produced some Mesolithic flakes, but no firm evidence by which the apparent features could be dated.

Survey of the limekiln beside Hambledon church by R Williams of SyAS during repair works. The feature was measured and photographed, and a small investigation revealed the floor of the kiln to be 0.75m below the current ground surface, indicating a significant build-up of material since the kiln ceased operation. (411)

Earthwork survey by I Ellis and J English of SyAS of a Scheduled feature known as the Bee Garden. The site was exposed unexpectedly following an extensive fire on the common. The feature was recorded as a roughly trapezoidal bank and ditched enclosure measuring approximately 100 x 100m, with a surviving second outer bank in some places. A suggestion of a two-phase construction process was noted, although without intrusive excavations it was not possible to date any of the surviving details with any confidence, or accurately determine the purpose of the feature.

Second season of excavation undertaken by D Bird for the Roman Studies Group of SyAS to improve understanding of the villa plan and its phasing, clarify the relationship between the approach road and the villa, and to gather information about the current state of preservation of the buried archaeological remains.

Observation by D Hartley of SyAS, of excavated foundations close to a Romano-British occupation site, excavated by A W G Lowther in the 1920s and early 1930s, revealed a pit and other cuts into the chalk.

Fieldwalking by N Cowlard of the SyAS Roman Studies Group close to the Cocks Farm villa recovered Mesolithic blades and flakes, a Neolithic spearhead and a number of scrapers, evidence of post-medieval activity, and a Second World War bomb, but no finds of Roman date. (405)