Surrey Archaeological Society

Two phases of investigation by P Jones of SCAU, adjacent to areas previously investigated in 2011 (SyAC 98, 253). No features of archaeological interest were revealed during soil removal to the west of the ‘Mesolithic hollow’ excavated in 2005 (SyAC 94, 370). There would appear to have been relatively little use of this area during the Mesolithic period, but later Bronze Age to Early Iron Age occupation was evident from redeposited material within a near-shore fluvial deposit of a watercourse.

Excavation by T Munnery of SCAU. The earliest features revealed were a small number of tree-throw hollows of Mesolithic and Bronze Age date, a similarly dated cremation that may have been originally within an organic container and two Bronze Age pits. An early medieval trackway and field system were revealed that were aligned to the western edge of a partially exposed palaeochannel. A post-built structure was carefully placed next to the trackway in the corner of a former field defined by a series of boundary ditches.

Historic building reassessment by M Higgins of SCC of a three-bay timber-framed house. Listed as 17th century, the house has all the characteristics of a late medieval hall house with a provisional suggested new date of 1520–40.

Watching brief by J Condliffe of WA. To the east of Whitehill Lane, a series of eleven postholes on an east–west alignment associated with a large quantity of ceramic building material was identified. This north-west corner of the field is shown on OS maps up to 1897 as being a brick quarry and the posthole alignment probably indicates the line of the boundary fence that surrounded it. To the west of Whitehill Lane, a pit cut by a large posthole was revealed. Each feature contained two sherds of highly abraded Iron Age pottery.

Evaluation and watching brief by L McCaig and D Britchfield of WA. The test pits were excavated to identify the depth of subsoil across the route of the proposed pipeline and so inform a strategy for the preservation in situ of potential archaeological deposits. The development proposal was subsequently designed to avoid impact on the archaeological horizons within the area of the easement that covered the majority of the development area, and truncation of the archaeological horizons was confined to the excavation of the narrow pipe trench.

Watching brief by C Turner of HN. No evidence of activity prior to the 19th century was observed and the site appeared to have been extensively disturbed, although an unexcavated area of garden to the west appeared to be undisturbed.

Watching brief and historic building recording by A Taylor and G Elliot of TVAS. Coombe Edge was noted as a good example of a small country house with a lodge and for its association with the family of Sir Ranulf Fiennes. Groundworks associated with a new house, pool and pond were monitored for remains connected with the route of the Roman road thought to run adjacent to the site, but no finds or features of archaeological interest were revealed.

Evaluation by N Randall of SCAU recorded an undated pit, possibly an earth oven, and two unstratified flint cores of Mesolithic or Neolithic date. Across the centre of the site were large areas of ground disturbance that probably related to the 20th century use of the site as military barracks, and the impact of a railway line that traversed the site during the inter-war period.

Building recording by Boyer Planning following a fire recorded architectural features of the early 19th century building.