Surrey Archaeological Society

Strip, map and sample by K Moon of OAS revealed modern redeposited layers used to create the M25 motorway embankment and confirmed that any archaeological horizons would not be impacted on by the development. Consequently, no finds or features of archaeological interest were revealed.

Building appraisal by M Higgins of SCC. Three phases of construction were identified: a two-bay parlour range with crown-post roof, originally jettied to the front and right and perhaps of mid/late 15th century date, and associated with a lost hall house. The second phase, probably dated to the late 15th century, comprised a three-bay open hall range, two bays of which were originally open to the roof, with gabled crown strut and unusual roof trusses with double side purlins.

Evaluation by G Webster of ASE revealed six ditches, two pits, and an irregular deposit. One of the ditches contained medieval pottery, another Late Iron Age pottery, which was considered to be residual; all the features and the irregular deposit contained slag, which suggests the presence of a medieval metalworking site in the vicinity. A subsequent strip, map and sample identified three phases of activity on the site. The earliest evidence dates from the Late Iron Age/early Roman period, with linear features representing a field system and a potential routeway.

Watching brief by L McCaig and D Britchfield of WA revealed three linear ditches that formed a possible enclosure and later droveway, and were located close to a group of postholes on two parallel north–south alignments. The postholes indicate the presence of a structure and contained 13th–14th century pottery. Any potential medieval settlement to which the structure relates exists outside the confines of the development area. Elsewhere an isolated and undated pit and a ditch were revealed.

Evaluation by D Atkin of CBAS (Chris Butler Archaeological Services) revealed an 18th century pit or ditch terminal.

Watching brief by N Shaikhley of SCAU did not reveal any finds or features of archaeological interest.

Watching brief by J Hirst of ASE revealed evidence of modern truncation, but no finds or features of archaeological significance.

Historic building recording by K Harrow and watching brief by S Price of ASE. The building is an example of a Board School constructed in the latter part of the 19th century, with a contemporary teacher’s house. The school was enlarged c 1900 with the addition of a large north-west range, and modifications and extensions to the original building. A number of ancillary buildings were constructed to the west between c 1900 and 1935.

Two phases of investigation by P Jones of SCAU, adjacent to areas previously investigated in 2011 (SyAC 98, 253). No features of archaeological interest were revealed during soil removal to the west of the ‘Mesolithic hollow’ excavated in 2005 (SyAC 94, 370). There would appear to have been relatively little use of this area during the Mesolithic period, but later Bronze Age to Early Iron Age occupation was evident from redeposited material within a near-shore fluvial deposit of a watercourse.

Excavation by T Munnery of SCAU. The earliest features revealed were a small number of tree-throw hollows of Mesolithic and Bronze Age date, a similarly dated cremation that may have been originally within an organic container and two Bronze Age pits. An early medieval trackway and field system were revealed that were aligned to the western edge of a partially exposed palaeochannel. A post-built structure was carefully placed next to the trackway in the corner of a former field defined by a series of boundary ditches.