Ottoways Lane, Ashtead

In 2002, Archaeology South-East were commissioned by Millgate Homes to undertake an archaeological field evaluation and subsequent limited excavation on land to the rear of No. 5 Ottways Lane, Ashtead, Surrey.

The earliest activity was represented by some residual mesolithic flintwork and a residual neolithic axe roughout. Limited Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age activity was represented by very small assemblages of pottery and worked flint. The Middle Iron Age (MIA) brought the first firm evidence for permanent occupation on the site. A rubbish pit and an arrangement of post-holes, perhaps representing a smaller ancilliary building rather than a round-house, were identified. These features lay within an apparent enclosure perimeter ditch that was probably first cut in the MIA period and was finally infilled in the Late Iron Age. A perhaps metalled entranceway into the enclosure was located beside an interruption in the perimeter ditch. Although only a small section of the proposed perimeter ditch was revealed, the site probably represented the north-western corner of a settlement enclosure of perhaps c. 0.4 hectare, probably a farmstead.

Environmental and faunal evidence indicated that the commmunity practised a mixed farming economy of animal husbandry and arable cultivation. The arable element of the farming was perhaps dominated by cereal production, mainly comprising emmer and spelt wheat, together with barley, bread wheat and perhaps oats as minor crops.

It is interesting to note that the range of domesticated species was identical to that identified at the Little Woodbury type site at Hawk’s Hill where there was clear evidence that animals had not been slaughtered annually but kept until maturity. This practice is indicative of an organised animal husbandry regime rather than simple pastoralism, perhaps suggesting that arable cultivation was only of secondary importance. Although the animal bone assemblage from the current site was too small to allow any meaningful conclusions, only mature animals were positively identified within the cattle and sheep bone groups.

Ottways Lane is the latest site to be identified within an already recognised pattern of Iron Age farmsteads and field-systems concentrated on the dip slope of the North Downs, predominantly to the east of the River Mole. It is possible that one of the main attractions of the area to the Iron Age mixed farmer was the presence of both acidic and calcareous soils: calcareous soils being more suitable for the cultivation of cereals with heathlands providing open grazing areas. The location would also allow a regime of transhumance to be practised: during the late autumn and winter grazing animals could be moved from the flood plains and lower lying areas onto higher ground, perhaps onto fallow arable fields where natural manuring would improve the soil in readiness for spring sowing.

Project Officer: Greg Priestley-Bell

Client: Millgate Homes