Excavation by D Williams of SCC of a group of ingot fragments contained within a pottery vessel. The eight ‘bun’ ingot fragments were located during metal detecting, and the pot is of a type that dates the find to about 800 BC. (410)

Evaluation by N Randall of SCAU revealed two pits. Finds including struck and burnt flints and a pottery sherd of possible Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age date were present in and above the fills of the pits, but the recovery of brick, tile and slate from the fills suggests that the pits are of recent origin. Further finds of struck flint were recovered within a layer of redeposited soil used to level the site for the tennis court, but it is not clear whether this material originated from the site or was introduced from elsewhere.

Geophysical survey by J English of SyAS, involving a magnetometry scan of the inner precinct area, did not provide any evidence for buried structures, although a number of anomalies that may represent kilns were recorded. An historic building recording survey of the gatehouse was also carried out, and a watching brief was undertaken during remedial works, with soil displaced by animal burrowing dry-sieved for material before the burrows were infilled. A small amount of predominantly Iron Age and medieval pottery was recovered. (419

Evaluation by R Entwistle and P Jones of SCAU prior to the creation of a golf course. The area of holes 10–18 was examined. The larger part of the evaluation area of hole 10 was negative, although a small number of features apparently of Iron Age to Early Roman date were revealed. Holes 11–18 were examined in 2007, but unreported at the time. A small number of prehistoric features were revealed. Additional trial trenching by N Shaikhley was carried out in the vicinity of the suspected flint mines revealed during the evaluation of 2007.

Soil-stripping, mapping and sampling by J Robertson and N Randall of SCAU, during the creation of a park and ride facility, following evaluation in 2007. A comparatively large number of Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age features were revealed, including pits, ditches and stakeholes. Evidence of activity from the Neolithic to Early Iron Age was evident in the finds assemblage.

Evaluation by T Collie of ASE with one trench revealing three apparent ditch termini, two of which contained fragmentary Iron Age/Early Roman pottery. Extension of the area revealed two additional gullies, neither of which provided any dating evidence. A second phase of evaluation is planned.

Evaluation by R Lambert of SCAU prior to residential redevelopment of a former playing field. A Mesolithic feature and a Bronze Age cremation represented the only earlier prehistoric activity on the site. However, a number of postholes and a large pit were dated to the Middle Iron Age and indicated an intensification of activity during this period. It was considered that these features may relate to a settlement of this date in the area – possibly in areas adjacent to the site developed for housing prior to PPG16 and therefore not investigated.

Evaluation by D Swift of ASE revealed a number of linear features, probably drainage and/or boundary ditches of post-17th century date, although they rarely produced datable material. Two of the ditches produced small quantities of Late Bronze Age and Late Iron Age pottery, although there was no conclusive evidence to suggest that this material was not residual in later features. Some small pits/postholes were also found, although none contained dating evidence. Most of the datable material was recovered from the topsoil, and was predominantly post-medieval in date.

Evaluation by T Collie of ASE revealed evidence for extensive terracing of the site prior to the construction of the existing house in the 1930s. However, one trench revealed an intact soil profile with a shallow depression containing pottery of a Late Iron Age–Early Roman date, with a more substantial cut feature of this period also being located. A subsequent investigation by D Whittaker of ASE revealed further evidence of this date in a roughly linear alignment.

Survey by R Hooker and J English of SyAS of the Scheduled hillfort revealed both location and design to be influenced by the natural topography. In addition to the survey, the damage caused by tree felling and use of mountain bikes was also investigated. (405, 416)