Surrey Archaeological Society

Evaluation by G Hull of TVAS, for The Berkeley Group PLC, in advance of the construction of a private medical clinic. No direct evidence for a post-medieval house on the site (demolished in the 19th century) was found, although possible indications of its gardens were recorded. Much of the site appeared to have been terraced and landscaped, removing any earlier structural remains. Some of the 17th century pottery recovered suggests the presence of a kiln nearby during this period.

A watching brief was maintained by J Robertson of SCAU, for RMC Aggregates (UK) Ltd, on soil stripping in advance of mineral extraction. The site revealed no features of archaeological interest, although stray finds recovered include two struck flints and a sherd of Saxon grass-tempered pottery. Fragments of burnt flint and pieces of medieval and post-medieval tile were observed over much of the stripped area.

A watching brief by R Poulton of SCAU, for P & O Developments, as part of an ongoing programme of archaeological work, did not reveal any significant finds or features of archaeological interest.

Evaluation by R Poulton of SCAU, for the College, in advance of the construction of new buildings, revealed no features or finds of archaeological interest.

Evaluation and excavation by J Stevenson and G Hayman of SCAU, for Gleeson Homes, in advance of residential development on the former hospital site. The evaluation was aimed at testing the results of an earlier geophysical survey, and revealed evidence of prehistoric and medieval activity. The subsequent excavation revealed a scatter of prehistoric features, including a ditch and two small pits. One of these produced a quantity of flint debitage, seemingly of Mesolithic date. Neolithic and Bronze Age flintwork was also recovered, while the ditch and other pit were of Bronze Age date.

Evaluation by D Dobson and D Killock of PCA, for Crest Homes, revealed evidence dating from the post-medieval period to the present day. One trench produced Bronze Age flintwork and a late 12th century pit. Further work revealed a truncated ditch aligned roughly east to west, the fills of which contained a sherd of Mid-Late Saxon pottery and one dating to the 12th century. This feature is likely to be the remains of a field or enclosure boundary.

Evaluation and excavation by S Weaver and J Saunders of TVAS, for HBG Properties, of a site to be redeveloped for warehousing, did not reveal evidence for the barrows mentioned in this vicinity in the Merstham boundary charter of 947 AD. The evaluation did reveal a number of dateable pits and ditches indicating the presence of a late Iron Age / early Roman settlement. One of the features was initially thought to represent part of a curvilinear boundary ditch, but the subsequent excavation illustrated that this was one of two rectilinear ditches on the site.

A watching brief was carried out by M Dover of SCAU, for Reigate Grammar School, during the construction of a new caretakers house and the new dining hall. No features or finds of archaeological interest were revealed.

Evaluation by K Ritchie of Wessex, for Saxon Developments Ltd, of a site proposed for residential redevelopment, revealed no features or finds of archaeological interest despite the site being relatively undisturbed.

Evaluation by J Robertson of SCAU, for Green Property (UK) Ltd, in advance of redevelopment for offices, revealed no features of archaeological interest. A number of finds were recovered however. These included pieces of struck prehistoric flint and numerous sherds of pottery, ranging in date from the 12th century onwards, as well as fragments of tile, clay pipe and animal bone. It is likely that this area was formerly in agricultural use and that most of these finds are the result of manuring.