Surrey Archaeological Society

Examination by N Marples of SCAU of material recovered from dredging two stretches of the river Bourne revealed no finds of archaeological interest.

Evaluation by E Eastbury of MoLAS prior to redevelopment found that most of the site had suffered severe truncation of any potential deposits during the construction of the existing buildings. A small area was found to contain a deep feature, containing stratified material dating from the Late Neolithic to Roman periods. Owing to the large size of the feature, its extent or exact nature could not be verified. A subsequent watching brief on the area where the feature was presumed to continue provided no further information.

Evaluation and watching brief by J Perry of SutAS prior to the construction of a telephone mast and compound revealed no finds or features of archaeological interest

Evaluation by S Hammond of TVAS prior to residential development revealed no finds or features of archaeological interest.

Evaluation by P Jones of SCAU prior to a proposed residential development. A number of features were found relating to a previously known Roman tilery, together with numerous examples of roof and floor tiles, dated by association with pottery to the 2nd/3rd centuries. No evidence for kiln structures presumed to exist in the area was noted at this stage.

Recording by D Williams of SCC of Roman pottery in a length of ditch exposed during the creation of a basement. (365)

Archaeological observations and recording by M Higgins of SCC prior to renovation of the 18th century well head structure revealed evidence of the incorrect reconstruction – by an early 20th century date – of the supporting structure to the roof over the well head.

Monitoring of groundworks by J Robertson of SCAU during the installation of a gas pipeline along Castle Walk. No features of archaeological interest were revealed and the area appeared to have been disturbed previously. However, a number of artefacts were recovered from the excavated spoil, including pottery fragments dating from the 11th–19th centuries, brick, tile, clay pipe and animal bone.

Tree-ring analysis, by members of the EH Centre for Archaeology, of timbers in the roof thought to have been constructed pre-Reformation. Seven timbers were dated and gave an interpreted felling date range of AD 1553–64, and therefore a post-Reformation date for the roof.

Archaeological monitoring by T Howe of SCC of path construction and creation of disabled access to the museum. No finds or features of archaeological interest were revealed, as excavations were not of sufficient depth to reach the underlying archaeological deposits.