Agriculture

In the Iron Age, land use became stratified.  The flood plain along our Bournes would be given over to grassland for pasture or grazing.  Slightly higher dryer but still fertile ground (as now used by the plant nurseries along Bagshot roed) would be used for open arable fields.  Poorer but moist soil just out of the valleys (for instance around Valley End) would be used for woodland, whilst the high, dry and infertile heathland could only be used for the grazing of animals. ^{2 p6}  

We can be certain that these people in Chobham had the technology to routinely colonise and farm the previously heavily-wooded Bourne valleys. It is only the rich alluvial soil of the valleys that could support permanent farmsteads that could endure through the generations.  Any long-term farming on the impoverished heathlands would have been limited to herding flocks.  We can tell that agricultural productivity flourished in the Iron Age because Iron-age settlements often have large grain storage pits.

Iron Age peoples learnt how to breed wild fruit and vegetables into better varieties and to grow them in allotments and orchards.  Hardy Spelt wheat which can be winter sown on our light soils was developed at this time.  Our soils would also support rye and six-row barley which were probably major crops.  Oats generally require heavier soils.  Peas and vetch can thrive in poor soil since their roots have nodules of bacteria which can fix nitrogen.  Some plants such as grass, sedge, rush, hemp, flax, bracken, heather and reeds would have been grown for construction purposes.  Gorse, peat and heathland turf could be used for fuel. ^{2 p33-34}

Woodland would not only be valuable as a source of timber and fuel but acorns and beech mast would also provide winter fodder for pigs.

The nearest evidence of Iron Age agriculture so far discovered was at Runfold Farm near Badshot Lea.  Ditches had been used to delineate a field system covering an area of 100m by 60m.  Bones discovered at Thorpe Lea Nurseries near Egham indicate that the main source of meat appears to have been cattle, whilst sheep and goats were probably important for wool and possibly milk as well as for meat.  Pigs provided meat, lard and perhaps leather  ^{3 p51}.  As well as providing meat, cattle also provided leather and power for the plough.  The sheep were probably of the small Soay type which although poor for meat were very hardy and could be over wintered on the heath.  If they were to provide milk then they would need to be rounded up daily - perhaps in an enclosure similar to that at Albury Bottom.  It appears that ponies may not have been bred but have run wild on the heath, New Forest style, and captured when mature for use as pack animals.  There is little evidence for the keeping of goats or domestic fowl. ^{2 p22}

Industry

In this area, iron ore occurs at the base of the Bracklesham beds - at about the 40m height.  This is frequently exposed where the earth is cut through by streams.  Where the streams hit the iron ore they frequently run red.  Evidence of iron working has been found all along the upper Windle Brook.  The residue is predominately from iron ore smelting.  Although it appears that the bulk of the production was in the Roman period, there is evidence that iron ore was refined on a small scale during the Iron Age.  During the excavations in the Windlesham Arboretum, Late Iron Age pottery and a coin of Addedomaro ,a minor East Anglian Celtic king between 20-O BC, were been found in the same context.

References:-

2.    The Iron Age in Britain and Ireland: Recent Trends.  Ed: T.C. Champion & J.R. Collis. Pub: J.R. Collis Publications, University of Sheffield. 2001.

3.    Hidden Depths,  Roger Hunt, pub Surrey Archaeology Society 2002.