Excavation was carried out over the two years by D Williams for the Holmesdale Archaeological Group and SyAS, and in September-October 1974 by R J Poulton for SCC and DOE. The latter concentrated on the Saxo-Norman levels with several pits and some evidence for minor industry, suggesting that this area was the ‘backlands’ to a settlement closer to the parish church. A later trial trench on the Church Street frontage could not confirm this hypothesis because of late disturbance. A notable find was a probably Saxo-Norman bone skate. The excavations by D Williams revealed a Saxo-Norman ditch cutting an isolated human skeleton, and six main phases in the site's history after the Saxo-Norman period. The first was a hall house of the period c 1150-1300, and this was completely remodelled c 1300-1350, with the building being doubled in size by an extension. Finds in 14th century contexts included a miniature jug or cruet and fragments of a 13th century Islamic glass vessel. Little structural evidence could be attributed to the period c 1350-1500. Three chimneys were added in the 16th century, and a stone-lined cesspit of this period was found. There were several alterations from c 1600 to 1847, when the Vicarage was demolished; after this rubbish and drainage pits associated with the Victorian Vicarage were dug through the remains. (164, 169, 170 and London Archaeol 3, 433-8)