Surrey Archaeological Society

Evaluation by W Weller of the SCAU, adjacent to the Scheduled villa excavated by A W G Lowther, recovered large floor or wall tiles, samian pottery and a mortarium of Gaulish origin from subsoils and spoil heaps. A small number of pits and postholes, of probable1st–4th century date were revealed.

A topographic survey by R Hooker and J Newell for the Prehistoric Group of SyAS recorded an earthwork formed of a broad shallow ditch, to the south of a wide low bank. The bank had a series of protuberances on its north side. Towards the east they were regularly spaced at about 8–10m intervals. The feature presently measures c 450m in length but was probably truncated at its eastern end, without recording, by the construction of the M25. (Bulletin 446)

Evaluation and subsequent excavation by G Dawkes of ASE along the c17km route, from Buckland Pumping Station in the west to the Outwood Reservoir in the east. Two sites of particular archaeological significance were identified: a prehistoric and Roman site in the vicinity of Buckland village, immediately south of the A25, and a medieval site located to the north of Buckland, adjacent to Glebe House on Rectory Lane.

Magnetometry survey and evaluation by R Hooker of SyAS exposed a length of a narrow ditch truncated by ploughing. The ditch was filled with a burnt deposit containing large quantities of heavily burnt bone and a considerable quantity of pottery sherds, provisionally dated as Late Iron Age and early Roman. Further magnetometry and excavation work is planned to determine the extent of the archaeological features. (Bulletin 449)

Watching brief by E Brants and T Howe of SCC recorded the disarticulated remains of at least five individuals as well as at least three burials in vaults. One burial had an ornately decorated, lead-lined wooden coffin, once covered with velvet; its lead and brass name plates identified the individual as Henry Wight Esq, Lord of the Manor of Brockham who died on 12 September 1793, aged 65. Wight’s vault was constructed over an earlier, unnamed coffin burial and a second vault contained another coffin burial, again unnamed.

Test pit by P Harp and S Hill of Plateau (a group of SyAS) on the site of a 1st century pottery and building material scatter, produced Romano-British and imported Roman fine wares of the same date within a mixed chalk matrix that may have been imported from elsewhere.

Watching brief by W Weller of SCAU did not reveal any finds or features of archaeological interest.

Watching brief by W Weller of SCAU revealed evidence of settlement activity from the Late Bronze Age to the Late Roman period, including a storage pit of a 1st century AD date and possible boundary ditches that may relate to the Romano-British settlement sites excavated in the 1930s to the south of the school.

Evaluation by J Aaronson of CA revealed two previously unidentified phases of castle development including part of a substantial footing within a deep-sided cut of 13th century date and a second phase represented by wall bases constructed from rough Reigate stone and chalk blocks. The presence of a brick hearth within the body of one of these walls suggests a later 14th or 15th century date, pre-dating the standing remains and lying to the south of the previously understood limits of the castle.

Evaluation by D Platt of TVAS did not reveal any finds or features of archaeological interest.