Aerial Photography

This image shows our attempts at digital enhancement of a small area of one of the photographs (1945). It gives an indication of what level of detail can be seen on a typical high-level RAF/OS photograph.  As can be seen, at the altitude the photographs are taken, even houses are difficult to pick out. A further problem is that of cultivation patterns. The fields on the spur SW of Chobham Park House have been recently cut for hay and the pattern of the square cutting dominates.

The GetMapping 1:10,000 aerial survey of November 1999 has too many jpeg artefacts to be of use.  The higher resolution commercial version is prohibitively expensive so has not yet been examined.

It may be possible, during conditions more conducive to producing grass crop marks, to obtain a low-level aerial photo from users of nearby Fairoaks airport or to fly a camera from a model aircraft.

Geophysics

The surveying and geophysics results produced during the 2003 season are shown below.

	Key: the grey dot density pattern shows the resistivity survey results (light indicates areas of low resistance - usually wet areas and filled in ditches; dark indicates areas of higher resistance) the green grid is the national grid the blue grid is the site grid

Interpretation:

• the area of low resistance in the west corner of grid O/280 corresponds with a depression which extends NW and under the nearby hedge.
• the low resistance in the top corner of grid P280 corresponds with the transition from the gravel terrace to a peaty alluvial soil which borders the stream
• Grid M120 includes a rectangle of very low resistance.  Its position is where the home owner believes a moat once lay.  However the feature stops short of the SW corner of the garden platform.  It is possible that the platform was extended when the moat was filled.  This square is also cut by two linear low-resistance features which correspond with partially filled ditches.
• Grid O/200 is shows much less resistance than adjoining grids P200 & Q200.  There are streaks of higher resistance which align with the site grid and hence may not be natural.

Previous Archaeology

In April 2003, Oxford Archaeology conducted a watching brief during the construction of the footings for the rebuilt stable block (OA Job 1768).

Chobham Park House, like many ancient houses in the area, was built on a dry gravel terrace.  The stable area is in the alluvial, off the gravel terrace. Buildings were not constructed off the terrace and in the wetter alluvial until fairly recently.  Therefore one would expect not to find evidence of any ancient structures in the vicinity of the stables.

Results

No archaeological features or finds were discovered.

It appears that the study did not include sieving the material removed from the foundation trenches so it would not be expected to find any finds from the Lithic, Bronze, Iron or Saxon periods.

There is no report of evidence of ancient ditches visible in the exposed natural.

Oxford Archaeology appear not to have been aware of the Roman hoard found at Chobham Park in the 18th century, nor of the possible 'Roman' road passing through the site.  This feature was not specifically looked for.

A typical soil section was:

It appears that the top metre of soil was considerably disturbed by building over the last two centuries and therefore unlikely to demonstrate stratified archaeology.

The results corroborate the findings from the test pitting performed by Tony Howe, Archaeological Officer for Surrey County Council.