Surrey Archaeological Society

Excavation and watching brief by J Robertson of SCAU, for Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, revealed the bailey ditch of Reigate Castle, and related 13th century features. The ditch had been cleaned out in the 18th century and used as a moated feature within the landscaped grounds of the former castle, and filled in during the late 18th or 19th century, possibly when the adjacent Tunnel Road was constructed in 1821.

A watching brief was maintained by J Stevenson of SCAU, for UK and European Investments Ltd, during the construction of an office block with associated car park and access road. A capped well of probable 19th century date was found, although most of the examined area had been previously disturbed by the construction of Redland House. No other features or finds of archaeological interest were recorded.

Watching brief by P Harp of Plateau on the construction of houses adjacent to the Tumble Beacon. A pit containing alternate layers of burnt flint and ashy soil was recorded. No finds were associated with the feature, but it is thought to be Bronze Age in origin.

Evaluation by G Pattison of SCAU, for Mr Dupenois, of land proposed for residential development to the north west of the Tumble Beacon, revealed only a handful of struck flints associated with charcoal and burnt flint. The flints appear to be Bronze Age in date, although one possibly Neolithic flint was also recovered. A fragment of pottery, probably prehistoric, but too small for identification, was also recovered.

Fieldwalking and topsoil seiving by P Harp and Plateau has recovered a large number of worked flints of Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age date, some Bronze Age, Iron Age, Romano-British, and medieval pot, and a medieval knight finial fragment. (317, 319, 323, 324)

A watching brief carried out by TVAS on the residential redevelopment of this site, for Linden Homes, following excavation in 1997, revealed no further archaeological features or finds.

A watching brief was maintained by M Dover of SCAU following on from an evaluation in 1997, on behalf of Portland Properties Ltd, on the site of an office development. No significant finds or features were revealed on a site which was found to have been basemented and extensively landscaped.

Evaluation by G Hayman of SCAU, for the Children’s Trust, of the site of a proposed care block in the grounds of the hospital. No features or finds of archaeological interest were revealed despite an apparent lack of any previous disturbance.

A watching brief was maintained by J Stevenson and N Shaikhley of SCAU, for Wimpey Homes, on the site of housing development. Three small gullies were revealed. None contained finds, but the features are believed to be of ancient rather than modern origin due to the nature of their fills.

Evaluation by T Howe of AOC, on behalf of Pfizer Ltd, of a site to be redeveloped for offices. The evaluation revealed features possibly associated with former garden layouts. The westernmost trench contained the remains of an extremely large ditch, which contained no dating evidence; a sherd of abraded Roman greyware pottery was collected from the fill during machining but this is likely to be residual. In the southernmost trench brick built foundations, probably 19th century in date, were revealed.