An Archaeological and Historical Survey of the Hindhead Common Estate, Hindhead, Surrey
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An archaeological and historical survey of the Hindhead Common estate, Hindhead, Surrey centred on SU 89500 36000 Volume 1: historical text, appendices & maps by Christopher K Currie BA (Hons), MPhil, MIFM, MIFA & Neil Rushton BA (Hons) MA Ph.D AIFA CKC Archaeology Report to the National Trust June 2005 Hindhead Common Archaeological Survey 2 CKC Archaeology Contents page no. Summary statement of archaeology significance 4 1.0 Introduction 6 2.0 Strategy 6 3.0 Description of study area 3.1 The study area 8 3.2 Background history 9 3.3 Background archaeology: work prior to current study 10 3.4 Background archaeology: summary to current survey results 12 4.0 Early landscape history 4.1 Prehistoric landscape 15 4.2 Iron Age and Roman landscape 16 4.3 Saxon landscape 16 5.0 Medieval and post-medieval landscape history 5.1 The medieval landscape 17 5.2 The post-medieval landscape 20 5.3 The rise of middle-class Hindhead & popular tourism 28 5.4 Routes across Hindhead Common 31 6.0 Conclusions 32 7.0 Archive 34 8.0 Acknowledgements 34 9.0 References 35 Hindhead Common Archaeological Survey 3 CKC Archaeology Appendices Appendix 1: Key to tithe map field numbers 38 Appendix 2: Rentals for Thursley properties in Highcombe Bottom, 1785-1891 42 Appendix 3: SSSI listing for Hindhead Common 45 Appendix 4: Acquisition list for NT properties making up Hindhead Common 47 Appendix 5: catalogue of photographs taken during this survey 48 Appendix 6: glossary of archaeological terms 50 Maps Figures 1- 35 53-88 CD ADDENDA Christopher Currie tragically died at the end of May 2005 whilst carrying out an archaeological survey for the National Trust on the Isle of Wight. This current survey of Hindhead Commons was undertaken by Christopher Currie and myself during late 2004 and early 2005, and most of the fieldwork was complete by the time of Chris’s death. I have completed the survey text and illustrations to the same format usually used by CKC Archaeology for such reports. However, I have added a CD with all text, illustrations, photographs and GIS material, in order that the survey can be made as accessible as possible for those wishing to consult it. Neil Rushton London, June 2005 Hindhead Common Archaeological Survey 4 CKC Archaeology Summary statement of archaeological significance This survey was proposed by the National Trust as part of their continuing enhancement of their land management of their properties. It is eventually hoped that all National Trust properties will be incorporated on a centralised Sites and Monuments Record computerised database (henceforth SMR) held at the Cirencester office. The brief was drawn up for the survey by Caroline Thackray, Archaeological Adviser. C K Currie of CKC Archaeology was asked to undertake the survey on behalf of the property management. The work was carried out between December 2004 and May 2005 by C K Currie and Dr Neil Rushton. The study area appears to have been rough common grazing since the later Bronze Age. There is very little recorded about activities there until the later post-medieval period. To date prehistoric finds have been rare, but this may be as much because of a lack of systematic activity by archaeologists than because of any genuine contemporary absence. It is possible that the poor sandy soils and the steep sided valleys in the study area led to the limited agricultural and settlement activity. What limited settlement can be discerned seems to be confined largely to the valleys containing small streams and sufficient flat ground to enable reasonable fields to be made thereon. There is only one apparent exception to this, and that is the enclosures sited on the ridge at Invall. Elsewhere settlement and agricultural activity is confined to Highcombe Bottom, Diggins Bottom and Nutcombe Valley. Of these there is only documentary survival for Highcombe Bottom. It has to be assumed that the other areas containing fields may have been in existence in the medieval period, but this cannot be proven. It has been assumed that the enclosures in Highcombe Bottom are of medieval origin. However there is some documentary evidence to contradict this. It is quite possible that the origins of enclosure here began in the medieval period, but it is certain that a good proportion of the present fields and cottages were created in the post-medieval period. Although it has been suggested by a previous study that the entire system had been created by 1222, and was subsequently reordered in the Tudor period, no evidence has been found to support this, and until this is forthcoming it has to be assumed that this is supposition. The earliest reference to the creation of fields in Highcombe Bottom dates from 1555. At this date one John Boxall inherited 12 acres of purpresture from his father. That the land is still referred to as purpresture could suggest that it had only recently been enclosed. Where other properties can be identified they seem to have been recent creations. A good example of this is the current youth hostel. This is referred to in 1695 as being granted along with an acre of grounds that was formerly a part of the waste. This suggests recent enclosure, with the cottage being erected thereon at the same time. It is further notable that the amount of land attached to this cottage has increased to an acre and a half by the end of the 18th century. Although the evidence is by no means conclusive there are definite suggestions that enclosure from the waste is taking place in the post medieval period. Hindhead Common Archaeological Survey 5 CKC Archaeology Another good example is near Keeper's Cottage. On the hillside to the west of this cottage relict field banks can be identified in woodland. The tithe survey shows two cottages here with two enclosures, marked as gardens, attached. By 1874 the cottages have disappeared and two new fields are shown on the steep slope of the hill. These two new fields have clearly been made between 1840 and 1874, and are not medieval as a previous study indicated. Between 1906 and 1924 Lord Pirrie of Witley Park incorporated the former field system at Invall into a new designed landscape. This was marked on OS maps of 1920 as a ‘deer park’. It included an ornamental summer house, with fine views, called the ‘Temple of the Four Winds’, and an elaborate system of iron fencing and gates. There is also a large mound within this area, but it is presently uncertain if this was made by Pirrie as part of his design or was an earlier feature. Both this study and the previous survey have been unable to locate archaeological features of any great significance. The earlier survey seemed to indicate that there were numerous lynchets indicating agricultural activity on the steep hill slopes, but this study has been unable to locate any features of this type and it is considered that there is no evidence to support their existence. This study has confirmed that the bulk of the archaeological features within the study area comprised mainly relic field and wood banks, holloways, and evidence for quarrying. Some new sites have been located. These include three building platforms, identified from the tithe map, on the west side of Highcombe Bottom. It also includes a well preserved lime kiln within the field system at Invall and the possible air raid shelter on Weydown Common. The survey also includes mention of the radar station site located on the property in World War II. It would seem that the archaeological significance of the property lies more in the landscape quality than in individual archaeological and historical sites. Hindhead Common Archaeological Survey 6 CKC Archaeology An archaeological and historical survey of the Hindhead Common estate, Hindhead, Surrey Centred on SU 489500 136000 This report has been written based on the format suggested by the Institute of Field Archaeologists' Standard and guidance for archaeological desk-based assessments (Birmingham, 1994) and The National Trust guidelines for Sites and Monuments Record creation and estate surveys, Guidelines on the archaeological & historic landscape survey of National Trust properties (1998). The ordering of information follows the guidelines given in these documents, although alterations may have been made to fit in with the particular requirements of the work. All archaeological work undertaken by CKC Archaeology is carried out in accordance with the Code of Conduct and other By-laws of the Institute of Field Archaeologists. 1.0 Introduction This survey was proposed by the South East Region of the National Trust as part of their continuing enhancement of their land management of their properties. It is eventually hoped that all National Trust properties will be incorporated on a centralised Sites and Monuments Record computerised database (henceforth SMR) held within the Archaeology Section of the Conservation Directorate. The brief was drawn up for the survey by Caroline Thackray, Archaeological Adviser. C K Currie of CKC Archaeology was asked to undertake the survey on behalf of the property management. The work was carried out between December 2004 and May 2005 by C K Currie and Dr Neil Rushton. 2.0 Strategy 2.1 Survey methodology The survey included the following: 1. An appraisal of the documentary history of the property. This was based on relevant collections in the Surrey History Centre, but also included any other records pertaining to the estate area. These include: Saxon charters, royal medieval records (Domesday Book, Close and Patent Rolls, Inquisitions Post Mortem etc. in the Public Record Office), wills, contemporary published accounts, and cartographic sources (early OS maps, Tithe and Enclosure Maps, Parish Maps etc.).