Surrey Archaeological Society

Landscape assessment by N Bannister for the Woodlands Trust, involving the recording both of features identified from maps and documents, and previously unknown earthworks. The most frequent features recorded were banks and ditches associated with former land divisions, and chalk and flint quarries the next most common features. Other features present included a possible prehistoric field system surviving in Great Church Wood, and the earthworks for a complete 19th century rifle range in Marden Park Woods.

As was the case with similar stages, the final stage of evaluation by J Perry of SutAS did not reveal any finds or features of archaeological interest.

Site visit by D Hawkins of CgMs revealed that no topsoil or buried soil appeared to be present and that the site had already been truncated down to the level of the natural clay. No cultural material predating the 20th century was revealed.

Evaluation by G Hayman of SCAU in advance of residential development revealed no finds or features of archaeological interest.

Watching brief by R James and L Barber of ASE undertaken during groundworks associated with the refurbishment of a barn. Underpinning trenches were excavated below existing wall lines, and the internal levels were reduced, but only an earlier brick floor of probable 18th or 19th century date was revealed.

Continuation of survey work carried out under the direction of C Currie of CKCA, as part of the Community Archaeology Project for SCC and SyAS, to assess whether the study area was suitable for designation as an ASHLV. The survey examined a large expanse of heathland that appears to have seen little change since the Bronze Age. The poor sandy soils seem to have been abandoned late in this period, and the area subsequently became a heathland pasture, with little evidence of occupation.

Watching brief by R Poulton of SCAU during the construction of an extension and related works revealed evidence of 18th century and perhaps earlier activities.

Evaluation by D Palmer of AOC in advance of the construction of office buildings revealed no evidence of archaeological activity on the site.

Evaluation by R Cowie of MoLAS revealed numerous natural clay-filled hollows in the surface of the river terrace gravels. The gravel was also cut by a number of man-made features including pits and ditches. These were mainly concentrated in the northern and eastern parts of the site. Single prehistoric struck flints were recovered form a root hole and a small pit, and a small fragment of baked clay or pottery was also found in a pit.

Excavation following an evaluation by J Leary of PCA revealed a Bronze Age pit (and possibly contemporary features), and evidence of the early development of Stanwell in the form of a gully and two pits containing Saxo-Norman pottery, and slightly later field boundaries. These features were overlain by a ploughsoil containing 12th to 14th century pottery and daub, and point to the existence of a building nearby. A well and a series of rubbish pits containing 18th and 19th century pottery, some rare and non-local, were also excavated.