South Holmwood Brickworks, Newdigate Road, Newdigate

Soil stripping, mapping and sample exercise by J Wright of COT revealed three features, all of which contained charcoal. Two contained oak and the third contained alder/hazel fragments, burnt at a high temperature and exhibiting evidence of probable in-situ heating/burning, and probably represent the remains of burnt tree stumps associated with woodland clearance. Radiocarbon dating of the alder/hazel suggests such clearance occurred in the Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age. A small assemblage of unstratified worked flint was also recovered, and while the flints are not closely datable other than as broadly earlier prehistoric (Bronze Age or earlier), it is possible that the tree clearance was taking place at about the same time the flint was being discarded.
Year: 
2011-12
ID: 
2595
NGR: 
TQ187422
Borough: 
Organisation: