Surrey Archaeological Society

Strip, map and record excavation by T Collie of SCAU, undertaken in 2016, revealed a complex, Middle–Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age system of ditches across the east of the site. Oriented north–south/east–west and in places formed of a double ditch, it extended to the centre of the site, where the principal ditch turned west towards the river Ash. The ditches may represent a domestic enclosure, although their generally shallow nature suggests they form part of the wider Bronze Age field system known to extend across a large area of the river Thames gravels both north and south of the river.

Evaluation and excavation by M Edmunds, A Haslam and P Jorgenson of PCA carried out prior to and following the demolition of the former shops and residences fronting the High Street (Historic Building Recording: SyAC 101, 222). Staines-upon-Thames is located above a series of low-lying gravel islands within the flood plain of the middle Thames valley, on the north bank of the river Thames at its confluence with the braided tributary channels of the rivers Colne and Wraysbury.

Evaluation by T Hayes of PCA revealed no significant archaeological deposits and indicated that modern disturbance is likely to have removed any potential archaeological material across much of the area investigated.

Watching Brief by M Saywood of SCAU revealed no archaeological features or finds pre-dating the 19th century.

Strip, map and record excavation by W Weller of SCAU revealed a significantly disturbed area with three ditch features and a small posthole, all of which have been confidently dated to the later post-medieval period. A handful of probable Bronze Age flints was recovered, but no features of this date were observed. The small posthole from the trial trench evaluation (SyAC 101, 221) that produced a small assemblage of prehistoric pottery was located, but no further related features were observed.

Evaluation by T Collie of SCAU revealed no archaeological features or finds.

Evaluation by I Hogg of ASE revealed a series of north-east/south-west aligned Roman ditches, one of which had an associated fence line running along the ditch bottom. This feature probably dates to the 1st century AD and stratigraphic evidence suggests that there was at least one, and possibly two, additional phases of similarly aligned boundary ditches at the site. A modest assemblage of finds suggest that the ditches may have been associated with a nearby settlement and one pit produced a fairly large quantity of hammerscale, indicative of smithing activity in the area.

Strip, map and record excavation by W Weller of SCAU, a continuation of the 2016 excavations (SyAC 101, 220), revealed further significant archaeological deposits. The most notable being the Roman road, the roadside ditch of which was previously excavated. Large elements of the road surface were intact, and a camber was visible in section, together with distinct layering relating to re-metalling. A section of ditch was uncovered that contained two sherds of Late Bronze Age pottery that probably date the feature.

Evaluation by T Vieira of TVAS revealed a Bronze Age cremation burial and three linear features, one of which appeared to be of Roman date.