Surrey Archaeological Collections 73

TQ 243636. The kiln is the largest of its date in the region, capable of firing 600 pots. It had twin flues, with wing walls, and a split pedestal: Musty Type 2d. Pot forms are analysed statistically in terms of vessel equivalents. The change of manufacture c 1480 from Cheam White to Cheam Red was a natural evolution with no evidence of immigrant (eg Dutch) potters; it began as a response to Raeren imports. Span: late 14th to c 1500.

This is a short report on the excavation undertaken at Burpham during the spring and summer of 1978 in advance of the construction of the Burpham–Ladymead Diversion which now forms part of the London–Portsmouth Trunk Road (A3). A full report is to be found in Microfiche. Because aerial coverage of the area and geographical surveying together with fieldwalking all produced inconclusive results, a series of exploratory trenches were opened by machine along the course of the projected A3. On the basis of the finds from the area investigated it seems likely that some form of Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age settlement existed on the brow or top of the high ground and that material from that settlement has been washed down the hillside by the natural process of weathering and soil drift, accelerated at various periods by plough action. The existence of such a hilltop settlement perhaps with a defensive earthwork might explain the place-name evidence and is so far the only explanation that can be offered.

Although Chertsey could boast in the 13th century of at least two bridges within the town tithing neither of these spanned the Thames, but only the Bourne in Guildford Street and the arm of that stream then crossing London otherwise East Street. There was however frequent reference between 1300 and 1400 to Redewynde Ferry. Some authorities have disputed the location of this ferry as being on the Thames, but all the various references to Redewynde in the Chertsey Abbey Cartularies and early documents do in fact seem to indicate that the area around Chertsey bridge was originally known as Redewynde.

Of special interest in the local history of building and architecture are several experimental Surrey buildings by the renowned architect, Clough Williams-Ellis, famous for his achievements over a span of more than 70 years and especially known to the general public for Portmeirion in North Wales. The earliest of these local houses won a prize offered by the Spectator magazine in 1914 for a building to cost no more than £100. The Spectator's editor, Mr. J St Loe Strachey, who was also High Sheriff of Surrey and who lived in what is now the Newlands Corner Hotel, offered the prize for a model cottage built at low cost to ease the problems of working class housing, especially that of the agricultural labourers. Ellis won the prize and also Amabel, Strachey's daughter, for his wife as well. His wooden house at Merrow Common, Guildford, cost about 100 guineas to build and is still known as Model Cottage (TQ 025 5 17). Subsequently three further cottages were erected on this site to his design but of more conventional materials; only two of the four still stand, including the original.