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This page last updated 8.12.08
The
Excavation of the Site of the
The excavation uncovered the southern side of a large structure which was interpreted as the outer abutment for a bridge which crossed the former moat around the house. The side of western (bank) end of the abutment was roughly made of napped flint and reused stone including oolitic limestone. The core of this section appeared to be gravel and earth. A chalk foundation ran along the top of the south edge. The eastern end of the abutment was made of mortared flint faced with stone blocks (mostly Reigate). The abutment appeared to taper towards the house.
A wall ran roughly south from the side of the abutment. This was probably to retain the outer bank of the moat. This wall was clearly bonded into stone faced abutment and appeared to be contemporary with it. The wall incorporated re-used stone and there was a band of knapped flint. The date of these structures uncertain but likely to be late medieval or Tudor.
The top of the moat silt was found in the area south of the abutment. This was overlaid with small broken brick and mortar which was probably rubble used to fill the moat. Documentary evidence suggests that this was done about 1710-12 and the finds were consistent with this.
At the eastern end of the trench the moat fill was sealed by a cobbled surface which appears to have extended over the abutment.
All the deposits were overlaid by layers of flint and earth, mortar and gravel which were probably deposited when the park was extended to the front of the house in the mid-late 18th century.
On the north side of the trench these deposits were over laid by gravel which was probably the foundations of a track shown on early 20th century maps.
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