Surbiton Hospital, Ewell Road, Archaeological Evaluation Report

In June 2011, Oxford Archaeology completed a trial trench evaluation at Surbiton Hospital, Ewell Road, Surbiton, Surrey. The evaluation initially comprised a single 20 m long trench targeted upon the possible location of the western boundary of Surbiton Common as indicated by historic maps. An additional 5 m trench was also excavated in order to clarify an area disturbed by modern services within the initial trench. Two early 20th-century refuse pits were recorded in Trench 1. A layer of buried topsoil was observed in both trenches. This deposit was confined to the eastern extent of the trenches and represented the only archaeological feature in Trench 2. Trench 2 demonstrates that this deposit sits within a cut feature and may represent a terrace. The terrace is situated a maximum of 3 m away from the postulated historic location of the boundary of Surbiton Common within the area of the evaluation trenches. Its close proximity to this boundary suggests an association, although the limited dating evidence recovered from the deposit dates to the late 19th to early 20th century. Nevertheless, this need not preclude an association as the dating evidence may be intrusive. It remains a possibility however that this deposit may be a remnant of former landscaping associated with the Victorian manor house and gardens situated on the site in the early to mid 1800s.