Surrey Archaeological Society

A watching brief by S Dyer of SCAU for the National Rivers Authority, of works to form the Moormede Flood Defences, followed on from evaluation in 1993 which recorded part of a palaeo-channel. The line of this former channel was confirmed to run NW to SE through the site but no dating evidence was recovered from the upper silts, which were all that were removed by the construction works. (289)

A watching brief by P Jones of SCAU, for the Abbey National Building Society, of works to the rear of the standing 17th century building, identified a tiled hearth of Roman date and an 18th century bricklined soakaway. The hearth was constructed of Lydion tiles and was almost certainly 4th century in date. A few sherds of late Roman pottery were also recorded.

An evaluation by G Hayman of SCAU for Pearce Construction (South East) Ltd, of a redevelopment site in the centre of the town, found that some of the site had been damaged by the construction of modern basements, but that extensive stratigraphy survived elsewhere. A sequence of prehistoric, Roman and medieval deposits was recorded. Subsequent excavation was carried out by T Ennis of Tempus Reparatum. The earliest activity on the site appears to have been Late Bronze Age, followed by occupation in the Late Iron Age or early Roman period.

A watching brief on mineral extraction works was carried out by SCAU for Greenhams Ltd. In late 1994, flint blades of unusual length began to be found by the site observer, N Marples. The growing collection of tools and debitage recovered was clearly Upper Palaeolithic and was in association with animal bones. English Heritage therefore funded excavation by P Jones of SCAU. Ditches of two successive field systems and the southern arm of an early post-medieval rectilinear stock enclosure were revealed.

Evaluation by TVAS on behalf of the National River Authority, in advance of the construction of a flood alleviation channel. No features or finds of archaeological significance were revealed during the evaluation. Samples were taken from peat deposits uncovered and study of these will provide an important source for a detailed palaeo-environmental record of landscape change in the Middle Thames region. (301) see report in SyAC 87, 85-93

Watching brief by M Dover of SCAU for Streeters Sand and Gravel on topsoil stripping in advance of mineral extraction recovered a few flints but noted no archaeological features.

A watching brief by S Dyer of SCAU for Tarmac Ltd on continuing gravel extraction recovered more animal and human bone from palaeo-channels of the Thames. (289)

Evaluation by G Hayman of SCAU for Greenham Construction Materials and Tarmac Roadstone Ltd, of phase 4 of mineral extraction at this site, followed on from evaluation and excavation of the earlier phases in previous years. Two areas of archaeological interest, both occupying slightly elevated positions, were noted and subsequently excavated. A variety of features, mainly Middle or Late Bronze Age but including some Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, were recorded. Finds included fragments of perforated clay slabs, which are typically Late Bronze Age.

Evaluation by the Oxford Archaeological Unit for Chris Blandford Associates along the line of proposed link roads beside the M25. Nine sites were tested by a combination of trial pitting and test pitting: Thorpe Fields; land west of Thorpe by-pass; land between Longside Lake and Great Fosters; land north of Wickham Lane; the Unigate Dairies, Egham; land west of Queensmead Lake; Yeoveney Lodge; Cambridge Kennels; and Poyle Meadows. Of these sites, four contained positive archaeological evidence.

A watching brief by R Poulton, P Jones, N Marples and M Dover of SCAU for C A Cornish & Assocs, was carried out during groundworks for redevelopment. The site lies immediately south of the Thames and fluvial deposits were identified across most of the site. Some pieces of axe-trimmed wood were recovered from the lower deposits; no dating material was recovered, but these pieces are thought likely to be prehistoric in date. Observations on works to The Causeway, which lies immediately south of the site, indicated that little, if any, of the original make up survived in this section.