Site Tour showcases Priory Park Archaeology
News release dated 21 May 2007 about a tour of the archaeology uncovered in Priory Park as part of the restoration works.
Residents got the chance to see up-close some the archaeological features that have been uncovered in Priory Park, Reigate, as part of the Park Restoration Project, on a special site tour on Friday 18 May 2007. The tour focussed on the archaeological finds under the former tennis courts to give residents and visitors to the park the chance to see what has been discovered, before construction of the pavilion starts on the site at the end of May.
Surrey County Archaeology Unit, who carried out the archaeological investigations, led the tour.
Surrey County Archaeology Unit are conducting their investigations in association with the HLF - who granted £4.2m towards the park restoration - in areas where excavations are to be carried out as part of the project, such as digging the foundations for the new structures, like the pavilion.
The former tennis courts in Priory Park are known to lie in the area of outbuildings belonging to the landscaped grounds of the 18th century Priory and the archaeological work has shown that the area had an unexpectedly complex development, from perhaps, the late medieval period onwards.
Buildings the archaeologists have so far identified include the hexagonal brick foundations of a dovecote and brick staddles to support the suspended floor of a rickstand for hay, with the object of keeping out vermin.
Among the other structures include a large square building, another with a brick vaulted cellar, and a well burnt hearth of greensand blocks but their function is more difficult to determine.
Nearby was a substantial part of a large quernstone. These may suggest that activities such as baking and brewing occurred there.
A substantial brick culvert seems to have drained water from the Priory itself to feed the lake that lay around 400m distant, and is thought to be and 18th century feature. Some structures are later and others earlier, belonging to the 17th century.
A deeply founded wall of greensand blocks is the earliest wall identified, but it cannot be directly dated. Its location and orientation suggest that it could possibly be the outer precinct wall of the medieval priory.
The archaeology team have carefully recorded and photographed all of their discoveries and they are continuing to analyse them so that they can identify and date them. A recent ground penetrating radar survey might help if it reveals the plan of the foundations underneath the tennis courts.
Due to the interest and importance of the features uncovered by the archaeologists, the Borough Council has modified the construction plans for the foundations of the new Pavilion to ensure that so far as possible they are preserved for the future.
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
Town Hall
Castlefield Road
Reigate
RH2 0SH
01737 276000
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