Surrey Archaeological Society

A watching brief by D Hawkins of Lawson Price Environmental for Octagon Developments Ltd, on redevelopment, found that modern disturbance overlay natural alluvium.

Evaluation by B Langton of the Cotswold Archaeological Trust for Wates Built Homes Ltd recorded a scatter of mainly Neolithic flints and a number of features of Bronze Age date on this former racecourse adjacent to the Thames. More detailed excavation of the site was subsequently undertaken by P Andrews for Wessex Archaeology, which identified multi-period activity on an area of higher land.

Evaluation by S Dyer of SCAU for Thirlstone Homes Ltd, of a redevelopment site within the centre of Esher, indicated that the ground level had been reduced in modern times, removing any levels of archaeological interest. (289)

Evaluation by S Ford of TVAS of a former British Telecom site, for Fairclough Homes Ltd, recorded a linear feature and a hollow which contained no finds. A peaty deposit identified in the geotechnical works was found to be disturbed buried topsoil. (301)

Evaluation by S Weaver of TVAS for Alfred McAlpine Homes Southern Ltd. The site had clearly been previously disturbed. Five pottery sherds were recovered from the evaluation, four of which are probably of medieval date; the fifth is likely to be prehistoric, perhaps dating to the Bronze Age. (301)

Evaluation by G Hayman of SCAU for Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd of land to be used as a tip site for soil disposal from the M25 Junction 8-10 widening. Several pieces of struck flint probably of Neolithic or Bronze Age origin were recovered from the ploughsoil. No evidence for a feature noted on aerial photographs was discovered and it seems certain that the crop mark was caused by differential ploughing.

Evaluation by Lawson-Price Environmental on behalf of Octagon Developments Ltd, in advance of residential development on the south-western side of St George’s Hill. A linear feature was recorded, leading to a larger area being opened up for excavation. A worked flint fragment was recovered from the feature, as were a number of burnt flints; these were probably redeposited by natural erosive action down the hill slope. The ditch was probably a field boundary, representing use of the hill slopes around the hillfort for agricultural purposes in the Iron Age.

A watching brief by R Poulton of SCAU for Clive Thomson, on works associated with a new house and garage, found that the area had been extensively disturbed by previous development; no features or finds of archaeological interest were noted.

Evaluation by G Hayman of SCAU for Mrs E Bickley, of a site proposed for residential development immediately south of the ramparts of the hillfort. An undisturbed soil profile was recorded, but no features or finds of archaeological interest