Surrey Archaeological Society

Evaluation by J Robertson of SCAU, for Balfour Beatty, in advance of the construction of a bund adjacent to the M25 revealed a couple of post-hole like features which contained no finds and a pit containing burnt bone and flint. A subsequent watching brief on works in the vicinity recorded no further features. (314)

Evaluation by L Bashford of ASE, for Mr Renoir, to test the location of Stane Street, as part of an inquiry into the infilling of the Downs Road holloway. Any evidence for early use of Downs Road may have been removed during the construction of supporting brick walls alongside the track and erosion of the holloway itself. Very little dating evidence was recovered, but other features revealed are thought likely to represent post medieval landscaping. One gravel surface, presumed to represent a path or track, may be earlier.

Historic landscape survey by N Bannister, for the National Trust, of its Box Hill estate. The oldest boundaries on the estate are thought to be those bounding the old trackways, such as along Box Hill Road. The shaws dividing the woodland/downland from the fields are also probably medieval in origin. The present woodland reflects the change from traditional wood pasture mixed with sheep walks to amenity woodland in the 19th and 20th centuries. The oldest trees present on the estate are the large leafed limes at the bottom of the Whites, which have been coppiced.

A watching brief by D Dunkin of ASE, for Berkeley Homes, during the construction of three new buildings in the grounds of the Lodge found the areas had been heavily disturbed by the construction of 19th and 20th century out-buildings; no features or finds of archaeological interest were noted.

Evaluation by J Robertson of SCAU, for Brown & Root Ltd, in advance of redevelopment revealed no features or finds of archaeological interest, but the site was found to have been previously disturbed to some degree. (314)

A watching brief was undertaken by N Shaikhley of SCAU on behalf of the owners Mr and Mrs Scheller, during construction of an extension. No finds or features of archaeological interest were revealed. (321)

Historic landscape survey by C Currie of these estates, for the National Trust. Early references mention a number of ‘hatches’ or gates, where tracks left the farmland to enter the common. These ‘hatches’ are likely to be Saxon, if not earlier, and adjoining them are equally ancient farm sites, all but one of which still survive. The Polesden family and estate are first mentioned in documents of the late 12th century. The suffix ‘Lacey’ is first mentioned in 1562, but it did not become commonly used until the 18th or even 19th centuries; previously the estate was known as High Polesden.

Evaluation by R Poulton of SCAU, for Mr & Mrs Callcut, of the site of a barn, which is to be converted for residential use. The original brick sill walls for the timber frame were revealed, but no other features of archaeological interest were present.

A watching brief was maintained by R Poulton of SCAU, for Mr & Mrs Grundy, on the groundworks for extensions to this property; no features or finds of archaeological interest were noted.

A watching brief was maintained by R Poulton of SCAU, for Randell Construction, on works to this building. A mixed layer of probably 17th-18th century date overlying natural sand was revealed during groundworks. (314)