Land to the rear of 64 The Avenue, Egham

An archaeological strip, map and sample excavation by W Weller of SCAU revealed archaeological deposits of multiple periods with Late Bronze Age and Roman features the most dominant. A series of three excavations was conducted in the same area during the 1970s and this phase of work represented a chance to further enhance the understanding of settlement activity in the area. A number of large ditches were observed, generally in the north and west of the site, including a continuation of Early Bronze Age and medieval ditches previously excavated during the earlier fieldwork, a large Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age enclosure ditch that had previously revealed a smelter’s hoard of bronze items and, on this occasion, moderate amounts of occupational debris; possible ditches of an Early/Middle Iron Age date, and an extensive Roman ditch that is, with some certainty, the southern roadside ditch to a significant Roman road. A cluster of postholes in the north-east of the site represents a series of related structures and, despite producing no datable finds, they probably date to the Late Bronze Age. In common with a number of features in what was probably a consistently occupied area, the postholes showed signs of removal and systematic backfilling, with little evidence of natural silting. This process was evident on a number of features, including the upper layers of the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age enclosure ditch, indicating a reinstatement of land and signifying an alteration in land use. An ensuing trial trench evaluation by W Weller of SCAU within the garden of 64 The Avenue, to the north-west of the excavation, revealed additional archaeological deposits but as the area would not be impacted by the current development, no further archaeological work was undertaken in the 2016 programme.