Surrey Archaeological Society

Evaluation by R Poulton of SCAU, on behalf of Tesco Stores PLC, in advance of the construction of a supermarket. All but one of the six trenches excavated revealed modern disturbance. A small late 19th or earlier 20th century dump of pottery and other rubbish was seen in one of the trenches, but no finds or features of significant archaeological interest were revealed.

Evaluation by R Poulton of SCAU, on behalf of Haslemere Sports Association, on the site of a proposed Sports Centre. Two ditches were revealed which were suggestive of field boundaries, although none are recorded in the historical record. A possible gully was also seen, in addition to three small pits or postholes.One of these produced a rimsherd of late Iron Age or early Roman pottery together with a smaller body sherd of similar or possibly medieval date. A resultant watching brief, conducted in unfavourable weather conditions, failed to find any further archaeological finds or features.

A watching brief was maintained by J Robertson of SCAU, for Mr. R Stilgoe, on an extension to an existing lake following an evaluation in 1997. The site lies on the projected line of the London-Lewes Roman road. As in the evaluation, remains of the road were not found on the predicted course, although evidence for a plough-damaged metalled surface 15m to the west was recorded. The quantity of finds recovered suggests occupation in the immediate vicinity in the Roman period.

Evaluation by R James and J Russell of ASE, for Persimmon Homes, in advance of residential development. No features or finds of archaeological interest were revealed. Two geological test-pits were excavated under the supervision of Dr Martin Bates. A similar sequence of events to that recorded at Wildshaw were recorded; downslope movement of gravels under periglacial conditions in the late Pleistocene, followed by an apparent period of stabilisation, followed by downslope movement of soils as a result of tree clearance in the later Holocene.

Evaluation by R James and J Russell of ASE, on behalf of Wates Built Homes, in advance of residential redevelopment. The only find of interest was a fragment of a Mesolithic backed blade, all other finds and features were 18th to 19th century when the site was in agricultural use. A geological test-pit was excavated under the supervision of Dr Martin Bates. Two episodes of colluviation were noted; the uppermost following deforestation of the higher land to the south in the later Holocene; the lower deposit an earlier Holocene or late Pleistocene period of colluviation.

A watching brief was maintained by J Stevenson of SCAU, for Hazelwood School, during the groundworks for the construction of a new teaching block. No finds or features of archaeological interest were revealed, the site having probably been levelled at some time in the past. The works did record the apparent interface between the Wealden Clay and Atherfield Clay geological beds, and an area of river gravels/alluvium.

A watching brief was maintained by J Perry of SutAS, for Elf Oil UK Ltd, in advance of partial rebuilding and refurbishing the existing service station on the site. Documentery and geotechnical evidence indicates that the site lies on part of the mill pond of Upper Mill, which could be one of two mills in the area mentioned in Domesday. The work is ongoing but has not revealed anything of archaeological interest as yet.

Survey of the archaeological and historic landscape around Chelsham by C Currie of CKC Archaeology, for SCC and SyAS, with reference to them being proposed as Areas of Historic Landscape Value. The work is ongoing and is being carried out as part of the Community Archaeological Programme. The survey is still at an early stage, but an initial scan has revealed a number of sites of archaeological interest including three enclosures thought to be of medieval date. (Link to vol 1 below. Link to vol 2 - doi: 10.5284/1006444

Watching brief by J D Matthews of BSAG, during the construction of an extension to the pub revealed no features or finds of archaeological interest.

Evaluation by R Poulton of SCAU, for Hepworth Minerals and Chemicals Ltd, on an area proposed for mineral extraction. No significant finds or features were revealed, although previous work nearby in 1995 had produced material of predominantly prehistoric date.