Surrey Archaeological Collections 72

A number of Palaeolithic flint implements from high level sites in the south-eastern corner of Banstead Heath at Lower Kingswood are considered, and found to have conventional Late Middle Acheulian affinities. Although surface finds discovered following deep ploughing, their sharp, unrolled condition – together with the presence of anciently-broken and unfinished implements and waste-material – makes it unlikely that they have travelled far from the position in which they were manufactured and dropped.The material is currently retained by the first writer.

The earliest feature excavated was a small Roman ditch or gully. The finds suggested a date in the latter half of the 1st century AD. The upper part of the ditch and the layer above had been badly disturbed by later activity. It contained 1st to early 3rd century pottery as well as some medieval pottery. A medieval pit was found to the north of the ditch and produced late 13th/early 14th century pottery, together with part of an 11th/12th century cooking pot. Two possible medieval features were also discovered. One appeared to have been used as a rubbish pit and contained late 13th/early 14th century pottery. The second, which was only partially excavated, was lined with chalk blocks and may have been used as a soakaway. The finds were also late 13th/early 14th century. The upper layers of both had been disturbed and contained post-medieval pottery. Part of a mid to late 17th century building, which appeared to have been demolished towards the end of the 18th century, was uncovered. A number of 18th century pits were revealed beneath the floor of one of the recently demolished outbuildings. Several 19th century features were also excavated.

TA 025499. Unpublished notes and drawings by the General in 1877 identify the location of the barrows. Three of the six Saxon barrows contained cremations, and one produced a knife of 7th/9th century AD. D G

Records the stone foundations of an L-shaped hall and solar undercroft partly exposed by unauthorized digging on a scheduled site. Walls of an earlier building were also noted. Pottery dates occupation to late 12th-14th centuries; the site has no known documentation but lies within earthworks and has a 42m deep well. Manor house? D G

The original 12th-century charters of the great Cluniac priory of St Pancras, Lewes, probably form one of the largest such collections surviving in England. Although most of the texts are available in calendar form, they have hitherto lacked the systematic critical study which their importance merits. The aim here is to provide accurate texts of all previously unprinted 12th century charters relating to the Lewes properties in Surrey, to date the acquisitions, and to set them in their historical context. No attempt has been made to identify scriptoria, which would require diplomatic and palaeographical analysis of all the Lewes deeds together with the Winchester episcopal acta. A terminal date of 1200 has been chosen because the 13th century deeds are straightforward and in general accurately dated: a fresh discussion would add little to the calendars already in print.

This paper seeks to update and correct the account of the family of Abernon, of Albury and Stoke Abernon, published by Charles Spencer Perceval in the Collections in 1871.