Surrey Archaeological Society

Historic building assessment by M Higgins of SCC of Church House, formerly Church Cottages or Church House and Cottage. A ‘polite’ brick building of early 18th century date, its double-pile, double-fronted form has a high degree of reflective symmetry suggesting two, near identical, back-to-back houses, but it may be that the back house was originally servants’ accommodation.

Watching brief by M Taylor-Sutton of PRO Archaeology Services outside the footprint of the former Marie Curie Hospice (Harestone House – now demolished) revealed past terracing and modern disturbance but no archaeological finds or features.

Historic building assessment by M Higgins of SCC of a probable late 15th century, open-hall house of three bays, of which just one was open. It includes an overshot cross-entry with speres (to exclude draughts) and a moulded upper end dais beam and decorated head to the parlour door spere. An added chimney preserved the cross-entry and a rear range was added in the 18th century.

Evaluation by I Howell of MOLA revealed two 18th or 19th century pits of unknown function.

Watching brief by J Warrender, L McCaig and G Santa Maria of WA during stripping of topsoil and subsoil over several areas, encompassing c 2ha, revealed multiple features including cremation burials, pits, postholes and linear features. The cremations comprised both urned and unurned burials, provisionally dated to the Bronze Age. A number of short lengths of ditch were also recorded although they did not appear to form any coherent boundary to the mortuary activity. The cremations were generally dispersed across the area though small clusters were observed.

Watching brief by J Cook of Border Archaeology of a pipeline easement extending 90m into Surrey, revealed no finds or features of archaeological significance. The pipeline crossed the county boundary, also thought to be the medieval boundary of Windsor Forest, but the extant earthwork bank is probably modern in origin.

Geophysical survey by J Smith of WA demonstrated the presence of anomalies of possible archaeological significance (primarily ditch-like features), former field boundaries, ploughing trends, areas of increased magnetic response and superficial geology.

Watching brief by S Wilson of COT during geotechnical test pitting associated with the proposed redevelopment of Princess Royal Barracks. No archaeological features were identified within the test pits although they did reveal information about the character of the made-ground across the site, particularly in the south in the area once occupied by the military railway.

Evaluation by H Nicholls of ASE was devoid of archaeological finds and features with extensive truncation from 20th century landscaping, levelling and modern services in evidence.

Evaluation by P Stephenson of ASE revealed evidence for late post-medieval activity in the form of landscape or garden features within the grounds of Sunbury Manor.