Evaluation by T Howe of AOC, for Anglerare Ltd, in advance of redevelopment of land to the rear of these properties, revealed little evidence for medieval activity. Sealed below a layer of redeposited brickearth, however, a few features of prehistoric date were found. Two of these contained fragments of Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age pottery, as well as some burnt flint, another simply burnt flint. Residual flints of Mesolithic or Neolithic date were also recovered from one of these features.

Following evaluation of Phase 4 of this mineral extraction site in 1997, by G Hayman of SCAU for RMC Aggregates, a watching brief was maintained by SCAU on the stripping of the area. A couple of features of Middle Iron Age and Roman date were revealed, but the main features of interest appear to be Bronze Age. These features included a round house with an ancillary gulley and an enclosure ditch. A pit within the round house included part of a cup decorated by slashes made with a flint blade or flake.

Evaluation by D Dobson and D Killock of PCA, for Crest Homes, revealed evidence dating from the post-medieval period to the present day. One trench produced Bronze Age flintwork and a late 12th century pit. Further work revealed a truncated ditch aligned roughly east to west, the fills of which contained a sherd of Mid-Late Saxon pottery and one dating to the 12th century. This feature is likely to be the remains of a field or enclosure boundary.

Evaluation and excavation by S Weaver and J Saunders of TVAS, for HBG Properties, of a site to be redeveloped for warehousing, did not reveal evidence for the barrows mentioned in this vicinity in the Merstham boundary charter of 947 AD. The evaluation did reveal a number of dateable pits and ditches indicating the presence of a late Iron Age / early Roman settlement. One of the features was initially thought to represent part of a curvilinear boundary ditch, but the subsequent excavation illustrated that this was one of two rectilinear ditches on the site.

A watching brief carried out during stripping of the site in advance of mineral extraction was followed by an excavation by G Hayman of SCAU later in the year. This extended considerably the area of excavation carried out the previous year. The archaeological work has revealed a variety of features of Late Iron Age and Early Roman origin. These features include numerous ditches, which form parts of field systems and settlement enclosures, with evidence for trackways with ditches to either side.

Geophysical survey carried out by Matthew McMurray as part of a university project, in order to test for the existence of an eastern enclosure to the Caesar’s Camp earthwork, as defined by William Stukeley in 1723. A number of new features were identified, including the remains of a possible banjo enclosure, and kiln site. A possible Roman building was also noted, although this could not be confirmed. The area of the Caesar’s camp Scheduled Monument was re-plotted, and revealed what appeared to be the remains of a circular ditch within the enclosure.

Evaluation by S Ford of TVAS in advance of redevelopment recovered a residual piece of probable Iron Age pottery and a possible struck flint within a late post-medieval feature.

Continuing monitoring work by J Stevenson of SCAU in an area located immediately to the south of previous work undertaken in 1999 and 2000. The more securely dated features include: a Neolithic pit containing a complete Ebbsfleet bowl; several mid--Late Bronze Age pits; a small Iron Age pit containing nothing but a complete triangular loomweight; three sides of an enclosure of prehistoric date; the right-angled corner of a Roman enclosure, leading towards an area of concentrated Roman activity identified previously, and some middle Saxon pits.

Evaluation and subsequent excavation by T Carew of PCA in advance of the construction of a new prison. A palaeochannel, probably dating to the late glacial to early post-glacial period, cut through the centre of the excavated area. A probable early Mesolithic flint blade was recovered from near the channel, although it was found in a later context. The earliest of the cut features was a pit with a probable placed deposit of early Neolithic flintwork. This was adjacent to a middle to Late Neolithic ring ditch, interpreted as either a hengiform monument or a barrow.

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.