Mesolithic, Iron Age and Saxon findings from excavations at Esher Park Avenue, Esher
Resource type
Journal article
Creator (person)
Saxby, Dave
Date published
2019
Abstract
An archaeological excavation at Esher Park Avenue, Esher revealed a 0.40m-thick layer of sand that produced some 1522 Early Mesolithic flints, including microlithic flint points, microburins and at least four core adze fragments and a scraper (c 9.3-9.0 ka BP). The flint assemblage suggests the presence of a discrete short-stay knapping episode, perhaps centred around a hearth or hearths. Activity appears to have been directed towards the maintenance and repair of hunting and foraging kit, rather than any long-stay ‘base-camp’ type occupation. The Iron Age is represented by a 3.80m-diameter circular structure indicated by a series of postholes that may be a small shelter. Pottery sherds from the fills of the postholes and within the nearby hill wash date the structure to the Middle to Late Iron Age. Lastly, a sequence of Saxon pits and gullies was truncated by a series of ard marks that represent a rare example of early ploughing on the site. Truncating the ard marks was a large pit, which produced pottery and loomweight fragments dated to the late 6th or 7th century AD.
Contributor (person)
Blackmore, Lyn
Cotton, Jonathan
Davis, Anne
Pipe, Alan
Journal title
Surrey Archaeological Collections
Volume
102
Publisher
Surrey Archaeological Society
Place of publication
Guildford, UK
ISSN
0309-7803
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