Test pit monitoring and watching brief by I Howell and G Rapson of MOLA. The test pits revealed only limited details regarding underlying deposits, together with a small number of Palaeolithic flints – examples of which have been encountered in the area previously. Subsequent monitoring of the main excavation works revealed a moderate amount of additional worked flints, the majority of which were assessed as undiagnostic, although some Palaeolithic and Mesolithic material was present. A number of truncated burnt features were also encountered.

Soil stripping, mapping and sampling of four large areas by A Thorne of ASE. Area one revealed a series of linear features and scattered pits and postholes, probably of Roman date and representing agricultural activity. Substantial evidence of post-medieval and modern field systems was also present in both above and below-ground forms. Areas two and three were badly truncated and damaged, but revealed similar evidence for agricultural land management and activity in the Late Iron Age/Early Roman periods. Area four revealed only a single post-medieval linear feature.

Evaluation of the area of the proposed boarding house and music school building by N Randall of SCAU revealed sections of intersecting ditches and a small number of pits and postholes. Those features that it was possible to date were of probable 3rd century Roman, and earlier (possibly Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age) origin. Further work is proposed.

Evaluation by S Watson of PCA prior to use of the site as a possible extension to the existing burial ground. A likely Roman ditch and several undated, but possibly associated, postholes were revealed. Late medieval/early post-medieval pottery and ceramic building material were recovered from the subsoil, and a redeposited layer within one of the trenches is presumed to be associated with quarrying activity that map evidence illustrates took place just to the north of the trench.

Four seasons of excavation directed by D Calow of SyAS, following magnetometry and earlier trial trenching. A V-shaped Roman ditch, 2m wide x 1.2m deep, running east--west at the northern end of the site was found to continue into the neighbouring field where there was a second ditch alongside it on a slightly different alignment. The ditches may form the northern boundary of the Roman site. A Roman furnace was located that was similar to two previously identified, and which had an unusual 2m-long gully leading to the hearth.

Excavation by N Cowlard of Church Meadow Project in an area consecrated to be incorporated into the adjacent burial ground of St Mary’s church. This revealed a series of narrow flint linear features heavily impacted on by past ploughing. The features may represent an area of hardstanding or a building platform, and are likely to be of Romano-British date. A ditch of Romano-British date was located running parallel to the alignment of Stane Street, previously identified during excavations in the churchyard.

Two phases of archaeological excavations were undertaken within the Tilly's Lane development area on the north side of Staines High Street. A single trench was excavated at Tilly's Lane East between April and June 1999, with two trenches at Tilly's Lane West - British Gas and High Street sites - between February and May 2000. All the trenches lay on the gravel island, though Tilly's Lane East and the British Gas site lay within early flood zones.

Evaluation trenching in advance of the construction of a new road revealed prehistoric flintwork and pottery and a post-medieval gully. Two skeletons had been discovered in earlier work by S E Winbolt.

Test pitting by C Hayward of SyAS, produced a small quantity of pottery of Late Bronze Age, Middle Iron Age and late Roman date. (458)