The Bittoms, Kingston College, Kingston-upon-Thames, London

The Oxford Archaeological Unit (OAU) carried out a field evaluation on behalf of Mount Anvil within the grounds of Kingston College, Kingston-upon-Thames. The evaluation revealed significant archaeologcial remains between 0.32m and 1.48m below current ground level across much of the site. These had, in general, been heavily truncated by 19th and 20th century ground reducation and so survived in only a partial state. A single pit was dated by pottery to the Bronze Age (1900-700BC) and may indicate only limited activity. More extensive remains indicate a settlement of early to middle Saxon date (5th -9th century AD). The latter represents important evidence for the early development of Kingston. Pits of possible 11th ad 13th century date demonstrate activity on the site into the later medieval period although this is not associated with buildings. Extensive, and in places deep, layers of soil and building rubble indicate both truncation and dumping across the site during the recent past.

The evidence suggests three zones of predicted archaeological survival with the highest survival in a band running from the SW corner of the site accross the central part. The impact of the proposed developemnt is variable. The greatest impact is the western part of the site where basement car-parking is proposed and where all archaeological deposits will be destroyed. Construction at approximately 1m below current ground levels across the rest of the site may have a more limited impact, particularly where this co-incides with archaeological deposits surviving at deeper levels or not at all.

PXA for subsequent excavation