Surrey Archaeological Society

Excavation by P Jones of SCAU revealed near shore deposits, incorporating some Roman artefacts, but otherwise no significant archaeological deposits.

Watching brief by P Jones of SCAU following an evaluation last year revealed that the site appears to have been on the shoreline of a river channel that would once have lain largely below Bridge Street and possibly the neighbouring Montpelier House. Finds indicate that the site was probably not reclaimed until the 17th or 18th centuries, and the only archaeological features revealed were the truncated remains of some of the walls of the (probably late 18th or early 19th century) Lancasterian School that once stood on the site, and four cess and/or well pits.

Excavation by P Jones of SCAU and C Green of Archaeoscape of a series of test pits before and after the standing buildings had been demolished, confirmed that the site was prone to flooding and would not have been dry enough for permanent occupation until reclamation of the land at a relatively recent date.

An initial evaluation by G Potter of CA revealed archaeology of medieval and post-medieval date. A subsequent watching brief identified similar finds and features from these periods, including the ground plan of a small post-medieval cottage. Although at present only provisional dates are available, several features appear to relate to the Roman period including a significant length of ditch. A single inhumation in a square burial pit was also excavated. The skeleton has been dated to the Iron Age, and belongs to a female in her late 40s.

Evaluation by J Perry of SutAS revealed two fragments of 18th century walls, possibly a brick-lined rubbish pit, and no evidence earlier than a few 17th century finds.

Watching brief carried out by J Robertson of SCAU during work on drainage trenches and soakaway pits for a new all-weather sports surface. The narrow width of the trenches made it difficult to check for the presence of features, and only a sherd of Roman pottery was recovered from the subsoil of one of the soakaway pits. A number of finds, which included several pieces of struck flint, fragments of burnt flint, a lava quernstone fragment, and medieval or post-medieval tile, were retrieved from the spoil heaps.

Evaluation by J Stevenson of SCAU following demolition of a warehouse. No features of archaeological interest were observed, although some residual burnt and struck flints were recovered from disturbed deposits.

Evaluation by S Ford of TVAS prior to residential redevelopment revealed no features of archaeological interest, although a few sherds of residual Roman and medieval pottery were recovered.

Test pitting by S Johnson of JSAC prior to redevelopment revealed features of potential early medieval date, although firm conclusions as to the nature of the site were difficult to make owing to the limited nature of the exercise.