Surrey Archaeological Society

Evaluation by T Munnery of SCAU did not reveal any finds or features of archaeological interest.

Historic building record and watching brief by N Shaikhley of SCAU prior to and during the creation of new visitor facilities. A number of features associated with the development of the Polesden Lacey estate were exposed during the watching brief, notably a brick-built domed structure that probably served as a storage tank for a water trough and hand-pump formerly in this location as illustrated on a 1905 photograph

Watching brief by G Rapson of MOLA during underground cabling on land south of Polesden Lacey House, between Yew Tree Farm, Lonesome Cottage and Prospect Lodge. The cable was laid mainly by mole-plough, resulting in minimal excavation, and no archaeological finds or features were revealed.

Photographic and survey record by A Norris of Andrew Norris Surveying of a cart shed and stables prior to conversion.

Watching brief by G Rapson of MOLA during underground cabling works and associated works in the south-east corner of the common. The majority of the cable was laid using a combination of mole-plough and directional drilling, resulting in very little open excavation. No finds or features of archaeological interest were revealed.

Watching brief maintained by K Butler of ChBA during the excavation of a narrow electricity cable trench that may have crossed the route of Stane Street. No evidence of the Roman road was detected, although the construction of the lane during the post-medieval period may have removed this, and only finds of post-medieval date were recovered.

Watching brief by G Rapson of MOLA during underground cabling works and associated works between Coast Hill Farm and Garden Cottage. The cable was laid mainly by mole-plough, resulting in minimal excavation. No archaeological finds or features were revealed, but colluvial deposits with the potential to contain redeposited material were observed in the field edge on lower hill slopes above the Tillingbourne stream.

Watching brief by G Rapson of MOLA during underground cabling works between Coombe Farm, Park Farm and Coast Hill Road, much of which was laid using a mole-plough, providing limited excavation opportunities. Open-cut trenches close to Vale House, the old rectory for St John’s church, revealed a section of a domestic rubbish pit containing a small amount of ceramic domestic debris and a large number of fragmented wine bottles, the majority of which date from the late 18th century.

A series of fieldwork projects by N Cowlard and members of the SyAS Roman Studies Group around Cocks Farm villa to investigate it within its rural context. A metal detector survey of the field to the north and east of the villa recovered one piece of curved and decorated copper alloy that may have been part of a Romano-British decorative furniture fitting, although none of a number of lead and iron finds recovered could be attributed to the Romano-British period. Romano-British pottery and worked flint was also recovered.

Excavation of a trench by N Cowlard and E Corke, together with members of the SyAS Roman Studies Group, designed to relocate the trench that Charles Darwin cut through the villa in 1877 and so fix the location of the four or five rooms exposed at the time, the location of which were not determined in the 1995–7 SyAS excavation of the site. The excavation added to the evidence for the villa from previous work, but there was nothing to suggest that Darwin’s trench had been located. (416)