Between 1995 and 1997 Surrey Archaeological Society carried out excavations under the direction of Steve Dyer to investigate archaeological evidence revealed when a tree blew over at Cocks Farm, Abinger. The presence of a  villa had been known since the 1870s when Roman walls were found during the expansion of a kitchen garden . When well-preserved remains of an east-west range of a Roman building were discovered, the fieldwork was targeted to provide information for the future management of the site and to indicate a suitable area for scheduling as an ancient monument.

In March 2022, a small team of volunteers from Surrey Archaeological Society carried out a geophysical magnetometry survey and fieldwalking exercise on Neale’s Field, Chipstead as part of a small community project. This work was undertaken in order to investigate an unusual concentration of early metal-detecting finds, most notably a number of rare 15th century coins, which led to speculation of the site being the possible location of a medieval fair which was recorded at Chipstead from the 13th century, and to define, date and characterise the site.

This note covers the results of archaeological monitoring of a pipeline trench  excavated between the Hawthorne Pavilion in Farnham Park and the northern end of Upper South Park View in Farnham (centred SU 840 474). A few finds of possible Civil War date were recorded.

In November 2019 the final season at this muddy site took place. The intention was only to complete excavating a few features which had been left unfinished in 2018 when the team had to leave the site due to the deeply unpleasant conditions caused by the ‘Beast from the East’. Fortunately November 2019 was rather kinder and in spite of some rainy days there were enough dry ones for the work to take place within few days. In November 2019 the final season at this muddy site took place.

In March 2018, a trench was opened to investigate a pit and ditch formation found in 2017 to the east of the known site. However, due to the weather and soil conditions it was not possible to undertake much work safely for either the archaeology or the volunteers (who were remarkably determined in spite of the challenging conditions). We now hope to return to deal with unfinished business in the autumn.

The annual excavation took place at Cocks Farm Abinger in June-July 2017 under the direction of Emma Corke. Volunteers excavated two trenches in an area of high agricultural activity on the hill adjacent to the known Roman villa site. This area was identified during a magnetometry survey looking at the environs of the villa which uncovered a Roman field system, a Roman lime kiln and a concentration of pits.

The well-known Roman temples site at Wanborough lies north of the Hog’s Back between Farnham and Guildford. The site was first excavated in 1979, again in 1985/6 following large scale treasure hunting and most recently in 1999 when David Williams directed an excavation that revealed a second earlier circular temple (Surrey Archaeological Collections vols 75, 82 and 93 respectively).

Ashtead Roman villa was first discovered in the 1920s and excavated by A. W. G. Lowther and A. R. Cotton, when extensive evidence for a tilery was also noted. Further work was carried out in the 1960s by John Hampton who carried out a site survey; the site had much less vegetation cover than is now the case. Both Lowther’s published reports and Hampton's survey left many unanswered questions aand so a new research programme was initiated in 2006, directed by Dr. David Bird.

First of all, a big thank you to everyone who helped to make the latest season at Abinger such a success. It may seem odd to say that in view of our failure to finish the trench, but this was a result of finding that there was more surviving archaeology than anticipated. Much of this must be down to your hard work in tackling the difficulties of finding archaeological features in sand. As a result we have a much better understanding of the site and how to approach it in future.

In 2014 land on Gravelly Hill was purchased by Caterham School and they expressed an interest in knowing the archaeological and historical background to their new land. The late Peter Gray had already noted the presence of earthworks within the area but access had previously been limited. As a result of the change of ownership members of the Surrey Archaeological Society undertook aa measured survey of the land within the medieval park and a small area to its immediate north.

Dry Hill Camp is a large enclosure of probable Iron Age date looking across the Eden/Medway Valley to the northern part of the Low Weald and North Downs. It is multi-vallate and lies just within Surrey, close to both Kent and Mid-Sussex. An excavation in 1932 recovered few finds and the site remained enigmatic. From 2011-2013 a level 3 tape and compass survey to check the condition of the earthworks was undertaken and a report is now available in the pdf attached below.

A watchig brief by D Graham of SyAS in advance of the development of the site for car parking and sports facilities found nothing of archaeological interest earlier than the late Victorian period.

For more information please view the attached report

The final main season of excavation on Ashtead Common was undertaken by the Society’s Roman Studies Group in August and September this year. The ground was very dry at first at the end of the long dry spell, making excavation difficult, but it did allow work in places that would usually have been under water (and indeed were at the end of the dig). The excavation was aimed principally at completing work on the area of the newly discovered building, the Lowther villa and the tile kiln(s).

The site of The Old Forge (SU 83924 46729) lies adjacent to the corner of Upper and Middle Church Lanes in Farnham. The site is archaeologically sensitive, being close to the Parish Church and in the likely area of any Saxon settlement. The planning application for the site (WA/2011/0037) refers to ‘internal and external alterations…’ - in fact the building was demolished.

During the summer of 2011, an archaeological investigation of the garden to the rear of no 45 (SU 83894 47104) was carried out prior to the construction of an extension to the house and subsequently to monitor the footing trenches during building works.

Watching brief by D Graham of SyAS in advance of building work. Evidence was found that the southern brick boundary wall had been built on top of and on the same alignment as a medieval ditch, which probably marked the line of the original 12th century burgage plot. The ditch had been cut by a later building, possibly 15th/16th century in date, which appeared to extend across width of the garden, and was probably contained within the curtilage of the plot.

The Lithics Working Group has reassessed a collection of palaeolithic artefacts assembled by Henry Bury, a member of the Surrey Archaeological Society during the early 20th century, as well as the Geological Society and the Hampshire Field Club in which he was active into his 90’s. He published extensively on geology and palaeolithic artefacts in academic journals.

Survey of and test pitting between the bell and disc barrows on Horsell Common, Woking (TQ 01446 59817) in 2009.

For more information plese view the attached report.

For some years now David and Audrey Graham have been undertaking fieldwork on the site of the building complex at Whitebeech, Chiddingfold in order to gain a better understanding of this enigmatic site. What follows is the text of a recent report to English Heritage dealing with the outcome of a geophysical survey. The report contains a useful summary of what has been achieved to date.

Summary

In 2005 Listed Building Consent was granted for works in Gardiner’s Wing, Farnham Castle. The Wing was divided  into  several  small  rooms and  the proposal was  to  remove a 
number  of  internal  partition walls  dating  from  the  1930s  and  later  to  create  an  open  plan office  space. The consent  required an archaeological/historic buildings  survey  to be carried out during the course of the building works and this report is the result of that requirement. 

For more information please view the attached report.

At the request of Mrs Anne Jones, Keeper of the Museum, a small team from Surrey Archaeological Society and the Farnham & District Museum Society excavated an evaluation
trench to the south of the Garden Gallery on 9 July 2006. The aim of the excavation was to test for the presence of archaeological material prior to the construction of a replacement building for the existing Gallery. Previous excavations in the garden, closer to the Museum, had revealed extensive archaeological deposits dating from the 12th century onwards (Surrey
Archaeological Collections, 84, 169-180).

Watching brief by D Graham of SyAS during the excavation of a pipeline trench at Wayneflete’s Tower (SU 83753 47254). Little of archaeological interest was revealed in an investigation that was too limited to intrude into archaeologically significant levels. It was apparent that the ground around the tower had been raised by around 0.5m, suggesting that any subsequent intrusions below this depth will damage archaeological remains.

For more information please view the attached report.

Repair works to the dam at South Park moat (SU 9160 3555; Scheduled Monument Surrey Nat No 12756) were carried out in July 2004 and involved cutting a 40cm-wide, 4m long and 2m deep slit trench roughly centrally from the south edge of the sluice. The work was supervised by D Graham of SyAS. No finds of archaeological material were made, but the west section of the trench was recorded.

For more information please view the attached report.

The Roman religious site at Wanborough (SU 9204 4958) has a long history of being damaged by treasure hunters and in many ways is the most notorious example of such activity in the country. Following the discovery of the site in the late 1970s a number of raids took place, leading to the mounting of a rescue excavation in 1985-6 (O’Connell & Bird 1994).

An archaeological fieldwalking exercise was undertaken on the site of the large comples of Roman buildings at Chiddinfold. The project was led by T Howe of SCC and D Graham of SyAS.

For more information please view the attached report.

Trial trenching in fields at Frensham Manor (centred SU 8396 4045) in 2001 located a Roman occupation site which survives below plough soil level and would appear to represent the remains of a small farmstead dating from the late 1st to the 3rd centuries AD. Finds of redeposited fragments of highly fired clay flooring point to the presence of a kiln in the immediate vicinity and metal detector finds from adjacent fields are indicative of further Roman activity in the area.

A watching brief by K D Graham of SyAS on the construction of a house on this site revealed no features or finds of archaeological interest. A metal detector survey also produced no material earlier than the 19th century.

A watching brief by K D Graham of SyAS on works for a rear extension confirmed that the site had previously been extensively disturbed and no trace survived of the 13th century pottery kiln identified in 1991.

For more information please view the attached report

Report by A and D Graham of a sheep wash set into the dam at the outflow of Frensham Great Pond, probably constructed shortly after the commons were enclosed in 1851. (286)

Recording by D Graham of SyAS of a fireplace of probable 16th century exposed during building works.

A 19th century burial vault was discovered in the churchyard in August 1987 when a section of pathway collapsed leaving a 1m-wide circular hole. Members of the local archaeological group, led by D Graham of SyAS, were allowed to record the vault before it was backfilled with sand to render it safe.

During October 1971, a limited excavation was carried out beneath the floor of one of the rooms of this old timber frame house in an effort to establish the date of its construction. In this some success was met with, but an added bonus was the discovery of the kitchen area of an earlier, more substantial medieval house. No 12 is the building at the rear of Tanyard House.

For more information please view the attached report.

No evidence was found of any occupation earlier than 19th century in date and the lack of finds would seem to indicate that there was no settlement in the immediate area.

For more information please view the attached report