Roman

Charlwood

Excavation and test pitting by R Hooker of SyAS, following on from two previous seasons (SyAC 101, 219), confirmed the existence of a series of ditches and further revealed their extent. Three parallel ditches oriented approximately north-east/south-west, two of which are in excess of 40m long, may form the southern boundary of an enclosure, a theory supported by the discovery of a north–south oriented ditch to their west and an apparent lack of any archaeological features to its west.

Cocks Farm villa, Abinger

Further excavation by the Roman Studies Group of SyAS, directed by E Corke and D Bird to the north-east of the Scheduled Roman villa, recorded considerable quantities of unstratified Mesolithic and Neolithic struck flint from across the site. A possible Bronze Age barrow ditch and two adjacent pits, again of probable Bronze Age date and thought to represent inhumations where no bone has survived, were also revealed. Iron Age features in the form of a curvilinear enclosure ditch and a number of pits were recorded.

Ewell Grove School, West Street, Ewell

Watching brief by W Weller of SCAU showed the site to have been severely disturbed. However, a large ditch of probable Roman date was observed close to the main school building and is possibly a continuation of ditches excavated by S S Frere in 1939 and 1940 (SyAC 48, 45–60). A compacted chalk layer, which may represent a courtyard area between buildings noted on the Ewell Enclosure Map of 1803, was also recorded. A quantity of worked flint of Mesolithic, Neolithic and later Bronze Age date was recovered, indicating activity during these periods within the vicinity.

Imber Court Trading Estate, Orchard Lane, East Molesey

A phase of post-demolition evaluation, test pits and strip, map and record excavations by W Perkins of PCA, following pre-demolition evaluation in 2016 (SyAC 101, 214), showed severe disturbance across much of the site owing to its former industrial uses. However, initial evaluation showed that areas of undisturbed land were present and the later phase of work revealed more of a series of natural palaeochannels, first recorded in 2016, threading across the north-west of the site.

North Park Quarry

Watching brief and subsequent detailed archaeological excavation by G Santamaria of WA to the north and east of previous phases of work (figs 6 and 7) and an exploratory machine slot excavated through a possible palaeochannel revealed but not investigated during the 2015 season. The possible palaeochannel measured c 40m in width but was relatively shallow, at a maximum of 2m to the underlying sand (fig 8).

Mercers Farm, Nutfield

Excavations by J Payne of SCAU ahead of planned mineral extraction revealed evidence of archaeological activity dating from the Mesolithic through to the post-medieval period. The more important finds included a pit that contained Beaker-type ceramics, diagnostic flint tools of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age date and the remnants of a Middle/Late Bronze Age field system, which was in part truncated by a Middle/Late Iron Age settlement. The Iron Age settlement comprised a series of ring-ditches and numerous discrete cut features set within a substantial enclosure ditch.

Green Lane East, Wanborough

Geophysical survey and evaluation led by D Graham of SyAS. Magnetometry revealed an 8m-wide, north--south oriented, straight, double-ditched linear anomaly, various other anomalies and signs of ridge-and-furrow ploughing. A trench across one of the flanking ditches and extending across half the width of the linear anomaly revealed a raised trackway or ‘agger’, although there was no sign of metalling having been present. Probable Late Iron Age/early Roman pottery recovered from the ditch may date the feature but could be residual.

Former Guildford Fire Station, Ladymead, Guildford

Test pit evaluation by C Morris of AOC. The site is adjacent to the site that revealed a substantial scatter of worked flint, thought to represent the in-situ remains of a Late Upper Palaeolithic campsite (SyAC 99, 221), but it produced no Palaeolithic material. A small residual quantity of worked Mesolithic flint artefacts was recovered. A shallow ditch on the western side of the site produced Late Iron Age pottery and Roman pottery and flue tile; a further ditch produced slag and Roman tile fragments.

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