'Exciting' finds uncovered near medieval church

Archaeologists digging in a village in Surrey to try to find a lost Saxon settlement say some of their discoveries are "really exciting".

The excavations are taking place near a 12th Century church beside the River Tillingbourne at Albury.

As well as the Saxon settlement, the dig has unearthed objects dating back to Roman and even prehistoric times.

Dr Anne Sassin, community archaeologist, told Secret Surrey: "What a lot of people don't realise is how much exciting buried archaeology there is here."

She added: "When you go outside you only see a couple of buildings, the church and the manor house.

"But there previously was possibly an entire medieval village, maybe Saxon in origin."

Sassin said the site was "very appealing" to archaeologists.

"It's because of all of the hidden lumps and bumps and the landscape, what's underneath the surface," she said.

"Even when you look across the river you can see different terraces and field boundaries."

Surrey Archaeological Society has been working since 2023 to learn more about the village that once stood along the banks of the River Tillingbourne.

The archaeologists have unearthed lots of building material and pottery, around 2,500 pieces dating as far back as prehistoric times.

Sassin said: "It's really exciting, actually.

"My favourite find was our first Roman coin, which indicates a settlement which we didn't know of before.

"I'd love to find signs of actual medieval houses.

"We know where activity took place, but we haven't yet found structural evidence."

She added: "This is all about inspiring the next generation of archaeologists and trying to get them to want to be involved and excited about their local history and heritage."

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Surrey on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.