Shorne Woods Archaeology Group

Over the weekend some of the team were digging in the field next to the Leather Bottle. Very quickly they hit brick and uncovered the existence of a Victorian reservoir lost to the collective memory of the village.

In front of the field, by the road there is an old pump and a plaque that reads:

This reservoir was enlarged and rebuilt with the waterworks hereto belonging as the sole expense of the Right Honourable John Stuart Earl of Darnley and given to the parishioners to commemorate his coming of age April the 10^th 1848

At some point the village changed its source of water and the reservoir was forgotten about. The current owner of the land was unaware of its existence – until now. More of the top of the structure was uncovered today to reveal edges and the curving of the roof.

Here’s the mascot (Frankie) on site today – and at the school evidence was uncovered suggesting the presence of an earlier mascot:

The pupils of Cobham school have been digging up the school yard this week with help from the Cobham Landscape Detectives.  Andy Ward has given us an update on today’s activities:

Today, at the school assembly, we displayed all of the finds from the last couple of days, uncovered through the excavations in the school playing field. The children thoroughly enjoyed their time learning how, and why, archaeologists carry our excavations. They uncovered a number of fantastic finds, which will be photographed and displayed in the future, including a boar’s tusk, a piece of Staffordshire Slipware dating c.1750 and a piece of Georgian Red Ware c.1800. Hopefully this week of archaeology has instilled a passion for the past in the next generation.

In the car park of the Darnley Arms in Cobham we’ve started a couple of trenches to explore what is just beneath the surface. We’ve hit rubble and a chalk platform and found a variety of pot sherds, all probably dating from the 18th century and later. We’ve also gained a mascot. The pub cat likes to put in an appearance:

While we do all the hard work: