Surrey Archaeological Society

A watching brief by R Poulton & N Hembrey of SCAU, for Elmbridge Borough Council, on works to underpin the foundations of the house, which lies within the scheduled site of Oatlands Palace. A brick wall of the Tudor palace was observed, which may be associated with the Buttery, based on Gough’s drawing c1600.

A watching brief by J Robertson of SCAU, for the Parochial Church Council, was kept on works close to the village church. Only rubble debris, possibly resulting from the building of the church hall in the 1960s, was recovered.

Evaluation by J Robertson of SCAU, for TAG McLaren Holdings Ltd, of the site for the new TAG McLaren HQ, revealed a general spread of features of prehistoric (both Mesolithic/Early Neolithic and Bronze Age), Roman and medieval date. The majority of the features were gulleys and ditches. No focus of activity was identified. It seems likely that the settlement(s) lay outside the evaluated area, possibly near Mizen’s Farm itself. (321)

Evaluation by P Jones of SCAU, for American Golf (UK) Ltd, in advance of the construction of a golfcourse. The site of Burchet Farm was tested but no material earlier than the 18th century was recovered. A considerable depth of peat was identified in one area, presumably relating to a former channel of the Wey. No other features or finds of archaeological interest were recorded. (314)

Evaluation by J Robertson of SCAU, for the Guildford Diocesan Parsonages Board, on the site for a new vicarage, adjacent to the former vicarage. A shallow pit produced a sherd of 13th-14th century date, a second feature no dating evidence. (309, 314)

Evaluation by J Robertson of SCAU, for Malcolm McD Hooker & Co, in advance of residential development adjacent to a known findspot of Palaeolithic & Mesolithic flints. A small quantity of struck flint was recovered, probably of Mesolithic date, but the pieces were dispersed in the top & sub soil. (314)

Evaluation by R Poulton of SCAU for Bellway Homes, in advance of residential development, revealed no features or finds of archaeological interest.

A watching brief was maintained by M Dover of SCAU, for Thames Water Utilities, on the construction of a replacement water main. A concentration of prehistoric pottery was noted at TQ 037 440 and further excavation revealed a layer containing numerous sherds of Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age pottery overlying what appeared to be a buried soil, which itself sealed a row of possible post holes. It seems likely that the layer containing the prehistoric pottery represents erosion of material from the adjoining hillslopes.

A watching brief by J Stevenson of SCAU on the groundworks for an extension, for the school, which lies in the centre of the village, produced evidence for some modern disturbance and no features or finds of archaeological interest.

Report by J English of SyAS on a curved boundary bank and ditch around the farm, which encloses an area of around 64 acres. This may represent an original virgated holding, formed as settlement expanded into the Weald in the medieval period. Such holdings often appear to be formed of multiples of 30 acres in Surrey. (304)