Evaluation at Land west of A275, South Chailey, East Sussex

Twenty-five trenches measuring 30m by 1.8m were proposed in the WSI (ASE 2025). In the event, Trench 20 could not be excavated as the area was obscured by bushes and there was no room to move it to. After consultation with the County Archaeologist, it was agreed to excavate a contingency trench, Trench 26, to try and understand an earthwork that was visible on site. This measured 6.7m by 1.8m. A strip, map and sample excavation (500 sqm) was targeted on Trench 22. Spoil was stockpiled with the potential for extension to areas in mind. Provision was made for the extension of excavation area should significant archaeological features continue beyond the limit of excavation. All excavation locations were laid out using digital survey equipment and were scanned prior to excavation using a Cable Avoidance Tool (CAT) operated by accredited ASE personnel. Trenches were then excavated under archaeological supervision by a tracked machine fitted with a toothless ditching bucket, grading in spits of no more than 100mm at a time - either until the first archaeological horizon, or natural geology, were uncovered. All deposits were recorded and planned and all archaeological features hand-excavated, recorded and planned using digital GPS survey equipment. A digital photographic record was maintained of the work throughout. All fieldwork and recording was carried out in accordance with the Written Scheme of Investigation (ibid), the Code, Regulations, Standards and Guidelines of the Charted Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA 2025) and the Sussex Archaeological Standards (CDC, ESCC, WSCC, 2019). Of the 25 trenches excavated, 5 contained archaeological features (1 pit, 2 ditches, a routeway and a deposit). These were primarily recorded to the south of site except for the pit which was located to the north. Excavation of a subsequent SMS area recorded the continuation of one of the ditches which, by finds association and map evidence, has been dated as post-medieval. It was visible as a field boundary within the 1838 tithe map but had gone out of use by the time of the 1878 Ordnance Survey mapping, corresponding with the recovered 18th-19th century dating evidence. The western boundary of an old routeway was also recorded. This formed the western boundary of a wide precursor to the present A275, still evident as an extant earthwork in the eastern part of the site and visible on the tithe map and on LiDAR mapping.