Excavation by D W Williams, for SyAS and SCC’s Planning Dept, continued. The full extent of the prehistoric pit concentration was confirmed, with no sign of an encircling ditch or other defining boundary. A preliminary examination of the pottery recovered from these features indicates that conjoining pieces of Grooved Ware were deposited in different pits, although no vessel appears to be completely reconstructable. Examination of the pottery associated with the later enclosure to the south suggests usage from the very Late Iron Age through to the early 2nd century AD. (307)

Analysis of the recent survey of the Manor House by the DBRG suggests that it might be the remains of a hunting lodge built for Edward IV c.1482. (307)

Following evaluation in 1997, a series of watching briefs was carried out by N Marples of SCAU, for Pioneer Aggregates Ltd, on preliminary soil stripping of part of this mineral extraction site. Part of a rectilinear field system was recorded: three interconnected boundary features running east-west were identified together with a series of re-cut ditches running north-south, which delimited the eastern end of the grid. The date of the field system is unclear.

A watching brief was maintained by J Robertson of SCAU, for Mr. R Stilgoe, on an extension to an existing lake following an evaluation in 1997. The site lies on the projected line of the London-Lewes Roman road. As in the evaluation, remains of the road were not found on the predicted course, although evidence for a plough-damaged metalled surface 15m to the west was recorded. The quantity of finds recovered suggests occupation in the immediate vicinity in the Roman period.

Watching brief followed by excavation by J Stevenson and G Hayman of SCAU, on behalf of Henry Streeter (Sand and Ballast) Ltd, in advance of mineral extraction. An isolated Neolithic feature was revealed, together with a variety of waterholes, pits and postholes of the middle Bronze Age, and evidence for a field system of Roman or earlier date.

Watching brief by G Hayman and J Stevenson of SCAU, for Greenham Construction Materials Ltd., during the construction of a lake. Athough no features were discovered, this barrenness is likely to be a result of repeated flooding scouring the landscape and effectively washing such evidence away. There was certainly past activity on the site, as evidenced by the number of finds, albeit redeposited, ranging from the Neolithic to medieval recovered during the watching brief.

Evaluation and excavation by G Hayman of SCAU of Phase 7 of this mineral extraction site, for Greenham Construction Materials Ltd, revealed a variety of features; the quantity of finds associated with many of these is indicative of settlement activity. Most features were revealed on an area of marginally higher ground. They include a very large ditch, possibly forming an enclosure around a settlement. The finds appear to be of Bronze Age date and probably relate to the settlement of that date found in previous phases (4E and 6B).

Evaluation by J Lovell of Wessex, for Frogmore Developments Ltd, revealed a truncated ditch of probably mid to late Iron Age date, and a second, undated ditch. A number of residual flints of Neolithic to Bronze Age date were also recovered.

Evaluation and excavation by J Stevenson and G Hayman of SCAU, for Gleeson Homes, in advance of residential development on the former hospital site. The evaluation was aimed at testing the results of an earlier geophysical survey, and revealed evidence of prehistoric and medieval activity. The subsequent excavation revealed a scatter of prehistoric features, including a ditch and two small pits. One of these produced a quantity of flint debitage, seemingly of Mesolithic date. Neolithic and Bronze Age flintwork was also recovered, while the ditch and other pit were of Bronze Age date.

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.