The Rising Sun, Guildford Road, Fetcham, Surrey

Transcription

1 The Rising Sun, Guildford Road, Fetcham, Surrey An Archaeological Evaluation for Bovis Homes Limited by Steve Ford Thames Valley Archaeological Services Ltd Site Code RGF04/80 March 2005

2 Summary Site name: The Rising Sun, Guildford Road, Fetcham, Surrey Grid reference: TQ Site activity: Evaluation Project manager: Steve Ford Site supervisor: Helen Moore Site code: RGF 04/80 Area of site: 0.43ha Summary of results: No archaeological deposits were encountered. Two flint flakes and a sherd of medieval pottery were the only finds of archaeological interest recovered. Monuments identified: None Location and reference of archive: The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited at Leatherhead Museum in due course This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder Report edited/checked by: Jennifer Lowe Steve Preston i

3 The Rising Sun, Guildford, Fetcham, Surrey An Archaeological Evaluation by Steve Ford Introduction Report 04/80b This report documents the results of an archaeological field evaluation carried out at the former Rising Sun public house located at Guildford Road, Fetcham, Surrey (Fig. 1). The project was commissioned by Mr Graham Bridgman of Bovis Homes Limited, Retirement Living, The Manor House, North Ash Road, New Ash Green, Longfield, Kent, DA3 8HQ. Planning permission has been sought from Mole Valley District Council for the construction of new apartments on the site following demolition of the existing structures. As a consequence of the possibility of archaeological deposits on the site which may be damaged or destroyed by groundworks, a field evaluation has been requested in accordance with Archaeology and Planning (PPG16, 1990) and the District s policies on archaeology. The field investigation was carried out to a specification approved by Mr Gary Jackson archaeological officer at Surrey County Council. The fieldwork was supervised by Helen Moore and undertaken with the assistance of Pam Jenkins on 23rd 25th February The site code is RGF04/80. The archive is presently held at Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Reading and will be deposited at Leatherhead Museum in due course. Site description, location and geology The site is located on the corner of Cobham Road and Guildford Road on the north-eastern margins of Fetcham, and is currently occupied by the Rising Sun public house, which is now disused (Fig. 2). The pub is known to have a small cellar which is accessed via the rear of the property. A Tarmac-covered car parking area surrounds the majority of the building, except in the south-west corner where the area is mounded and covered in grass. The development area is centred on TQ and covers c. 0.43ha at a height of approximately 35m above Ordnance Datum. The site is located mainly on alluvium (BGS 1978), and this was observed in all trenches; to the south of the site the geology is upper chalk, as observed in Trench 4. 1

4 Archaeological background A desktop study has highlighted the archaeological potential of the site (Lowe 2004a). In summary, stray finds of prehistoric date have been recorded in the area of the site, close to the river (Stuttard 1998). Iron Age field systems have also been recorded close to the River Mole (Field 2004), and at Hawk s Hill an Iron Age settlement was excavated in the 1930s (Bird and Bird 1987). Other finds of note belong to the Saxon period with the Hawk s Hill area of Fetcham being noteworthy for one or more large inhumation cemeteries (Poulton 1987, fig 8.1). An evaluation slightly further to the west on Lower Road recorded two curvilinear ditches (Moore 2004), which were also identified during a watching brief on the site (Lowe 2004b). No dating evidence was retrieved during either phase of work. Objectives and methodology The aims of the evaluation were to determine the presence/ absence, extent, condition, character, quality and date of any archaeological or palaeoenvironmental deposits within the area of development. This work was to be carried out in a manner which would not compromise the integrity of archaeological features or deposits which would warrant preservation in situ, or might better be excavated under conditions pertaining to full excavation. The specific research aims of this project were; a) To determine if archaeologically relevant levels have survived on this site. b) To determine if archaeological deposits of any period are present. c) To determine if occupation or burial deposits of Saxon date are present. The agreed specification was for the excavation of five trenches 1.6m wide and 20m long (2.5% of site area) targeted at the footprints of the proposed new structures. The trenches were dug under continuous archaeological supervision by a JCB-type machine fitted with a toothless bucket. Spoilheaps were searched for finds. A complete list of trenches giving lengths, breadths, depths and a description of sections and geology is given in Appendix 1. Results The five trenches were dug more or less as intended in the required positions. They ranged in length from 17m to 21m as shown on Figure 3. Representative sections are presented in Figure 4. 2

5 Trench 1 (plate 2) This trench was 18.8m long and between 1.5m and 1.65m deep. Beneath a Tarmac surface was made ground overlying a 1.1m thickness of sandy clay interpreted as a colluvial deposit (51). This in turn overlay a brown sandy clay with large flint nodules, gravel and some chalk which was the natural geology. No deposits nor finds of archaeological interest were observed. Trench 2 This trench was 17.0m long and between 0.65m and 1.5m deep. Beneath a gravel surface (formerly a boules pitch) was a layer of chalk overlying made ground, which overlay a clayey sand subsoil (50) this in turn overlay a sandy clay colluvial deposit (51). This in turn overlay the natural geology. No deposits nor finds of archaeological interest were observed. Trench 3 This trench was 20.0m long and 1.75m deep. Beneath a Tarmac surface was made ground overlying a second layer of Tarmac which overlay a chalk layer. This lay above a clayey sand subsoil (50) which in turn overlay a sandy clay colluvial deposit (51). This in turn overlay the natural geology. No deposits nor finds of archaeological interest were observed. A brick fragment, sherd of medieval pottery and a prehistoric flint flake was recovered from the colluvial deposits (51) indicating no great antiquity for its formation. A trench for a service pipe was the only cut feature observed. Trench 4 This trench was 19.4m long and between 0.44m and 0.5m deep. Beneath a Tarmac surface was made ground overlying the natural geology which was chalk with flint nodules to the east and a clay sand with nodules to the west. No deposits nor finds of archaeological interest were observed. Trench 5 (plate 1) This trench was 21.0m long and between 0.95m and 1.10m deep. Beneath turf and topsoil was the sandy clay colluvial deposit (51). This in turn overlay the natural geology. Several large modern pits were noted but no deposits nor finds of archaeological interest were observed. 3

6 Finds Modern 19th- and 20th-century material such as glass, brick and tile, metalwork and flowerpots were noted in various contexts but not retained. Struck flint by Steve Ford Two struck flints were recovered, both from Trench 3. A broken flake was recovered from the lowest levels of the colluvium (51). Another broken flake was recovered from the spoilheap. These finds cannot be closely dated and only a broad Neolithic/Bronze Age date can be suggested. Pottery by Steve Ford A single rim sherd in an coarse orange sandy fabric was recovered from the upper levels of the colluvium (51) in Trench 3. It is of medieval date. Brick and tile by Steve Ford A single tiny fragment of brick or tile (3g) was recovered from the upper levels of the colluvium (51) in Trench 3. It is of medieval or more likely post-medieval date. Conclusion No archaeological deposits were recorded during the fieldwork and only a few finds of prehistoric struck flints and a sherd of medieval pottery recovered from colluvial layers. On the basis of the results of the field evaluation the site appears to have no archaeological potential. References BGS, 1978, British Geological Survey, Sheet 286, Drift Edition, 1:50000 Bird, D and Bird, J (eds), 1987, The Archaeology of Surrey to 1540, Surrey Archaeological Society, Guildford Field, D, 2004, Engraved Sequences and perception of Prehistoric country in south-east England in J Cotton, G Crocker and A Graham (eds) Aspects of Archaeology and History in Surrey, Surrey Archaeological Society, Guildford Lowe, J, 2004b, Lower Road, Fetcham, Surrey. An Archaeological Watching Brief, Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Report 04/08b, Reading Lowe, J, 2004a, The Rising Sun, Guildford Road, Fetcham, Surrey, An Archaeological desk-based assessment, Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Report 04/80, Reading Moore, H, 2004, Lower Road, Fetcham, Surrey. An Archaeological Evaluation, Thames Valley Archaeological Services, Report 04/08, Reading Poulton, R, 1987, Saxon Surrey, in J Bird and D G Bird (eds) The Archaeology of Surrey to 1540, Surrey Archaeological Society, Guildford PPG16, 1990, Dept of the Environment Planning Policy Guidance 16, Archaeology and Planning, HMSO Stuttard, J, C, 1998, A History of Fetcham, Leatherhead 4

7 APPENDIX 1: Trench details 0m at W or S end Trench Length (m) Breadth (m) Depth (m) Comment NW 1.50 SE m Tarmac; m made ground (hardcore); m brown clayey sand (51)(colluvium); 1.45m+ natural geology, orange/brown sandy clay with flint nodules, gravel and chalk flecks. [Plate 2] N 0.65 S m gravel; m chalk; m made ground (hardcore); m brown clayey sand (50)(subsoil); m brown clayey sand (51)(colluvium); 0.60m+ natural geology, orange/brown sandy clay with flint nodules, gravel and chalk flecks S m Tarmac; m made ground (hardcore); m Tarmac; m chalk; m brown clayey sand (50)(subsoil); m brown clayey sand (51)(colluvium); 1.75m+ natural geology, orange/brown sandy clay with flint nodules, gravel and chalk flecks W 0.50 E NE 1.10 SW m Tarmac; m made ground (hardcore); 0.25m+ natural geology, orange/brown sandy clay with flint nodules, gravel and chalk flecks m Turf and topsoil; m brown clayey sand (51)(colluvium); 1.10m+ natural geology, orange/brown sandy clay with flint nodules, gravel and chalk flecks. [Plate 1] 5

8 SITE SITE TQ The Rising Sun, Guildford Road, Fetcham, Surrey, 2005 An Archaeological Evaluation RGF04/80 Figure 1. Location of site within Fetcham and Surrey. Reproduced from Ordnance Survey Pathfinder 1206 TQ05/15 at 1:12500 Ordnance Survey Licence

9 56100 SITE TQ The Rising Sun, Guildford Road, Fetcham, Surrey, 2005 An Archaeological Evaluation RGF04/80 Figure 2. Detailed location of site. Scale: 1:1000

10 The Rising Sun, Guildford Road, Fetcham, Surrey, 2005 N Cobham Road Tr 1 Tr 2 Tr Tr 5 Tr 4 Guildford Road TQ m Figure 3. Plan of trenches. RGF04/80

11 The Rising Sun, Guildford Road, Fetcham, Surrey, 2005 Trench m AOD Tarmac Made ground (rubble) Natural geology (orange/brown clayey sand with flint nodules) Base of trench Trench m Tarmac Made ground (rubble) Chalk (made ground) Subsoil (50) Colluvium (51) (brown clayey sand) Base of trench (Natural geology) 0 Figure 4: Representative sections. 1m RGF04/80

12 Plate 1. Trench 5, looking north east, scale 2m. Plate 2. Trench 1 looking south-east, scale 2m. RGF04/80