Surrey Archaeological Society

Evaluation by T Munnery of SCAU. No finds or features of archaeological significance were revealed.

Evaluation by J Martin of WA. A small quantity of Bronze Age pottery was recovered from a ditch, while two other ditches produced Early to Middle Iron Age material. Further ditches and a series of postholes were either undated or modern in origin. The sparse nature of the archaeology was not suggestive of concerted settlement. A subsequent metal detector survey of the area produced similarly low-key results, and appeared to confirm the lack of past activity on this large-scale and potentially well-situated site.

Evaluation by R Lambert of SCAU. As was expected, a number of post-medieval burials were revealed, but little else of archaeological significance.

Photographic recording of the interior of the buried walls and foundations of the central tower, and the well shaft within the shell keep, by A Norris and D Graham of SyAS. The structure of the tower no longer survives above ground, with the motte having apparently been raised around the lower storeys of the tower, preserving them for examination. The tower was re-used as a well shaft in the later periods, which has been covered with an unprepossessing concrete slab for some years.

Soil stripping, mapping and sampling by J Warrender of KAP (Kent Archaeological Projects). A single pit containing no dating evidence but characteristic of a modern, probably 20th century, feature was revealed.

Assessment of the ‘scientific’ king post roof by D Yeomans, M Higgins of SCC and R Wild of the Surrey Dendrochronology Project. The roof has been dendro-dated to 1547, making it the earliest example of this roof type in the country by more than half a century, and demonstrates that the gatehouse was remodelled rather than rebuilt in the 18th century as suggested in the listed building description.

Report on a watching brief carried out by G Rapson of MOLA in 2009 during the excavation of five small pits to allow an electricity cable to be laid underground within the Scheduled Monument. One of the pits contained a charcoal-rich layer within colluvial deposits, a similar undated charcoal-rich layer was revealed in another, and evidence of extensive late 19th–20th century remodelling of the area was revealed within the remaining three.

Evaluation by M Higgins of SCC as part of the procedure for listed building consent found nothing to contradict the listed building description. Additional notes were made on the development of the building, and the survival of large areas of pitched ironstone paving in the farmyard were noted.

Evaluation of 18th century (with a later 18th century extension and 20th century domestic additions) granary by M Higgins of SCC as part of procedure for listed building consent. The timber-frame granary was two storey, above an originally open-sided cartshed, initially three-bay and later extended to four bays. The original location of the central first floor doorway was identified from the wall and floor framing.