Felbridge & District History Group

This document is the second in a series that will cover some of the more interesting items from the on-going Felbridge Finds Database (FFD) that have been found ‘underfoot’ in the Felbridge area, although most of the items have actually been found on the ground surface.  The extent of the area covered includes the Felbridge estate (Wiremill, Hedgecourt, Furnace Wood, Snow Hill and Cuttinglye Wood areas); Felbridge ecclesiastical parish (Newchapel, Gullege, Imberhorne and North End areas) and Felbridge Civil parish (from Chartham to Effingham and from Horne to the Surrey side of Felbridge county boundary with Sussex).  Some of the items have been found through field walking sessions organised or monitored by the Felbridge History Group, but many of the items have been brought to our attention by the general public who have either given or loaned us the item for identification, verification, recording and entry onto the FFD before being returned.  The on-going FFD of all finds is extensive and therefore only available on request.

The Felbridge Finds Database (FFD) was established to record the items found ‘underfoot’ in Felbridge to try and understand how the land in the area has been used through the finds left as a result of human activity, thus establishing a social history of the Felbridge area and its community.  It is now known, through the items that have been found ‘underfoot’ in the Felbridge area, that people have potentially been living and working here since 10,000 BC and have been losing or throwing away their personal, work related and domestic belongings for over 12,000 years.  There are a multitude of finds on the FFD that cover all aspects of human activity including personal items, coins and tokens, military and warfare artefacts, worked flint and tools, implements from working life and domestic use and house debris.

The first document covered some of the more interesting pieces of Smoking Paraphernalia that have been found ‘underfoot’ in Felbridge and the local area up until September 2019 and included: clay tobacco pipes, a tobacco jar and snuff containers. 

This document, the second in the series, will cover some of the more interesting pieces of Militaria that have so far been found ‘underfoot’ in Felbridge and the local area and includes: personal items such as Military Regimental buttons, badges, spurs and sword belt hooks; Ordnance such as cannon balls, iron ball shot, lead musket ball/pistol shot, bullets, cartridge cases and shrapnel; Weaponry such as a Dane axe, dagger and sword pommels, sheaths and hilts and cannon; and remnants of manufacture including tap slag from the 16^th to late 18^th century blasting process, shards of the clay lining of cannon moulds and a lead musket ball/pistol shot scissor mould.

Personal

Regimental Badges and Buttons

Each Regiment has its own unique emblem or regimental badge that can be found on headwear and buttons alike.  These emblems or regimental badges feature symbols that are important to the unit and might include links to a sovereign or royal dynasty, the regiment’s city or county origins, or a famous battle honour.  Originally, the colonel of a unit of men could put whatever emblem he chose onto his soldiers’ headdress and buttons.  This form of identification through the design of the emblem found on headwear and buttons has been used since at least the early days of the military manoeuvres of the Militia.

The obligation to serve in the Militia (also known as the Constitutional Force) in England derives from a ‘common law’ tradition and dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period.  Tradition was that all able-bodied males were liable to be called out to serve.  These were known as the posse comitatus, an ad hoc assembly called together by a law officer to apprehend lawbreakers, and the fyrd, a military body intended to preserve internal order or defend the locality against an invader.  The latter developed into the Militia, and was usually embodied by a royal warrant.  With the decline of the feudal system in England and the military revolution of the 16^th century, the Militia became an important institution in English life, being organised on the basis of Shire or County.  Every parish furnished a quota of eligible men, whose names were recorded on muster rolls.  Each household was also assessed for the purpose of finding weapons, armour, horses, or their financial equivalent, according to their status.  In theory the Militia was supposed to be mustered for training purposes from time to time, but this was rarely done and as a consequence Militia regiments were ill-prepared for an emergency and could not be relied upon to serve outside their own counties.  As a consequence an elite force was created who were prepared to train regularly.  However, during the English Civil War (1642-1651), both sides preferred to recruit their own armies, rather than rely upon the Militia. 

By the mid 18^th century the Militia became more regulated and in 1757, during the reign of George II, the Militia Act was passed in an attempt to create a more professional force.  The new Act meant that each County was set the number of men they were to provide in the ‘hour of need’.  In 1808, during the reign of George III, the Local Militia Act was passed including an attractive package for the rank and file, with better pay and training, however, it did involve a four year commitment on the part of the individual.  The overall object of the Act was to ensure that the male population of Britain would, on a rolling basis, be trained in the use of arms.  In reality those who had served their four year commitment would often sign up again for a further four years, thus reducing the rolling basis of trained men.  

In 1767, the numbering of buttons for Infantry and Cavalry regiments was promoted, receiving the Royal Warrant in 1768; prior to this there were no numbered buttons, just buttons with the unit’s chosen emblem.  Many of the early styles of button replicated the French design with a broken circle with or without a dot at the opening, known as a 'French circle and dot'.  By now, the general trend was for the earlier large, plain buttons to gradually reduce in size and by around 1800 makers started to add their names to the backs of buttons, which also became more convex as the flat one-piece style fell out of favour.  In 1855, pewter, which had been used for many years to make the buttons, was finally abolished and was superseded by the use of brass with the Regimental design depicted in relief; the design being controlled by the Army’s high command. 

Military and regimental uniform buttons are a common type of artefact found archaeologically in both military and domestic sites alike.  However, there are no documented military activities/manoeuvres in the Felbridge area until 1938/39 when Hobbs Barracks was established at the northern end of Felbridge [for further information see Handouts, Hobbs Barracks, DHW 01/03 and No. 1 Static Bakery, BR 01/03 and Special, Stories of Hobbs Barracks, SP 01/03].  Despite this fact, several military cap badges and regimental buttons, ranging from the 17^th century to the mid 20^th century, have been found at the southern end of Felbridge during field walking and metal detecting activities in the Imberhorne Farm and Gullege area and within the grounds of Llanberis Farm off Crawley Down Road, on what would once have been part of Hedgecourt Common.  We are also aware of an assortment of military regimental badges and buttons found by metal detectors over the years, who had been given permission to detect, where they reported the find to the landowner but not the exact location or any detailed description of the finds, other than a ‘military badge’, ‘military button’ etc.  This is obviously less than ideal as you cannot use the find to plot any potential military action or even identify to which regiment the military badge or button belonged.

Regimental badges and buttons that have been found include:

The following are a small selection of some of the better preserved regimental badges and buttons, in more detail, that have been found Underfoot in Felbridge.

Board of Ordnance Cap Badge (18^th/19^th century, found at Felcot Farm, Furnace Wood, TQ 353 397, ID no. 13-16)

The Board of Ordnance cap badge is made of copper alloy, in a shield shape.  It measures 48mm at its highest central point and 36mm it its widest dimension tapering to a point at the bottom.  It is engraved with 3 Cannon Balls over 3 Cannons and is slightly bent on its right-hand side; possibly plough damage.

The Arms of the Board of Ordnance (3 Cannon Balls over 3 Cannons aka Field Pieces) first appeared in the 17^th century and were given Royal Approval in 1806.  The Arms of the Board of Ordnance can trace its origins back to the Master of Ordnance at the Tower of London, circa 1414.  However the Board of Ordnance was abolished in 1855 with responsibility passing to the Secretary of State until 1881 when a new Ordnance Board was reconstituted.  Since then the arms have passed through the Army Ordnance Department, through the Army Ordnance Corps, through the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and up to today it is included in part in the badge of the Royal Logistics Corps.

Royal Ulster Rifles Cap Badge (19^th/20^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no.51-27)

The Royal Ulster Rifles cap badge is made of a copper alloy and measures 50mm in length by 29mm at widest point.  The emblem depicts the Maid of Erin Harp with the king’s crown above and a scroll below (damaged at both ends) bearing the motto QUIS SEPAR*, broken off at this point. (Qui Seperabit is the Vulgate translation of Romans 8:35 (‘Quis ergo nos separabit a caritate Christi…’ meaning ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?’ or in the motto form: Who will separate us?).  Prior to 1921, the Royal Ulster Riffles, which had been formed in 1881, had gone by the name of the Royal Irish Rifles being an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army.  The regiment saw service in the Second Boer War, World War I, World War II and the Korean War before being amalgamated with three other Irish regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Irish Rangers, serving with the British Army until 1992 when the Rangers merged with the Royal Irish Regiment. 

The cap badge pre-dates the 1992 amalgamation as the scroll depicting the motto is still present, which was removed when the Royal Irish Regiment adopted the emblem.  The cap badge also has the king’s crown above the Maid of Erin Harp so must therefore pre-date 1952 when Queen Elizabeth II succeeded her father George VI as the reigning monarch.  What is not known is how the cap badge ended up in a field at Imberhorne Farm.

English Civil War Button (17^th century, found in Heathy Field, Imberhorne Farm, TQ 363 386, ID no.36-4)

These buttons are often referred to as a Civil War ‘pimple’ buttons.  They are generally made of pewter (a malleable metal alloy made of tin, copper, sometimes lead, and antimony and bismuth) or brass (a copper and zinc alloy) and are known as Tombac buttons in that they are a solid one-piece button with a flat back, with an integral shank, and a convex or dome-shaped head with a small bobble or ‘pimple’ on top.  The button measures 14mm in diameter.  This type of button would have been attached to an embroidered close-fitting doublet, an ornamental leather jerkin or a buff coat.  The buff coat was an item of military origins, which was made of leather and primary worn under armour by members of the cavalry and officers during the 17^th century, although a small number of infantry are also known to have worn it.  After the English Civil War (1642-1651) the buff coat became fashionable as civilian wear. 

GR Royal Cipher Button (18^th/19^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 62-19)

This ‘GR’ button has a crown relief over the ‘GR’ Royal cipher.  From the style of the crown and Royal cipher it has been dated to the reign of George III (1760-1820) or George IV (1820-1830).  The die-stamped, two-piece button is in fairly poor condition, missing its back and shank and has a split in the face implying it has been struck by something.  It measures about 24mm in diameter and is made of a copper alloy.

3^rd (Kings Own) Light Dragoons Button (19^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 54-4)

This convex, die-stamped two-piece button measures 20mm in diameter and is made of copper alloy and is missing its metal loop shank.  Its relief depicts a horse, facing left, in a buckled strap that reads ‘3^RD or KINGS OWN’, set under the king’s crown.  The backmark [lettering/maker’s mark on the rear of the button] is in a very poor condition and the only word that can be deciphered is ‘LONDON’.  Other 3^rd (Kings Own) Light Dragoon buttons are known to have been made by Jennens & Co of London so it probable that Jennens & Co was the maker of this button.  The 3^rd (Kings Own) Light Dragoons can be traced back to 1685, when four independent troops of cavalry were raised to protect London from the threat posed by the Monmouth Rebellion.  They were initially attached to what became the 1^st Royal Dragoons but later that same year, the 1^st Royal Dragoons, along with two other cavalry regiments, formed a separate regiment and were renamed The Queen Consort’s Own Regiment of Dragoons.  In the 18^th century, this new regiment fought in the War of Spanish Succession (1701-14) [for further information see Handout, The Commonplace Handbook of Colonel Edward Evelyn, JIC/SJC 09/07].  On the accession of George I in 1714, the regiment was renamed the King’s Regiment of Dragoons and in 1751 it was named the 3^rd (King's Own) Regiment of Dragoons.  In 1818, they became known as the 3^rd (King’s Own) Light Dragoons and in 1861, as 3^rd (King’s Own Hussars).  Based on the design, of the button found at Imberhorne Farm is likely to have been one of the last to use 3^rd (King’s Own) Light Dragoons pattern before the unit converted to Hussars.

General Service Corps Buttons (20^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID nos. 62-18 and 19-29)

There are 2 die-stamped, two-piece buttons and both in a fairly corroded condition, one measuring c26mm in diameter and the other 17mm.  The buttons generally come in 3 main sizes with 26mm used for tunic buttons, great coats and officer's buttons; 19mm used for no. 2 Khaki service dress tunic buttons, parade uniforms, pockets and epaulettes; and 14mm mainly used for caps, mess dress waistcoats and General's red insignia gorget tabs.

All three buttons are complete with the die-stamped face, back and metal loop shank.  They are made of brass (a copper and zinc alloy) and have been identified as General Service Corps Regimental tunic buttons from World War II (1939-1945).  The buttons, like the cap badge, depict the Royal Arms of the reigning monarch of the time, and depict a quartered shield between a lion rampant wearing a crown and a unicorn rampant, gorged with a coronet.  Although badly corroded it is possible to make out that there was wording on two of the buttons, which would have been the motto of the monarch Dieu et mon droit (‘God and my right’) and the Order of the Garter motto Honi soit qui maly pense (‘shamed be whoever thinks ill of it’ but usually translated as ‘shame on anyone who thinks evil of it’).  There is also lettering on the backmark of the buttons but in all cases it is indecipherable. 

Other Personal Military Artefacts

Besides Regimental badges and buttons that have been found Under Foot in Felbridge there is also an assortment of more personal military artefacts that have been found, items that would have been chosen by an individual to use or carry and were not necessarily regulation issue, eg: powder flasks, spurs, sword belt hangers and cutlery. 

Personal military artefacts that have been found include:

Powder Flask Lid, copper alloy/brass, damaged (19^th century, found in Heathy Field, Imberhorne Farm)

Convex circular hook fastener, possibly for spur leathers, copper alloy, fair size; corroded (17^th century, found in Heathy Field, Imberhorne Farm)

Spur Buckle, Civil War type, copper alloy, double loop (17^th century, found in Gullege Field, Imberhorne Farm)

Spur, copper alloy, broken, stamped with rowel [spiked revolving disc at the end of a spur] stem; the rowel stem is cast and curved back on itself (17^th/18^th century, found in Heathy Field, Imberhorne Farm)

Spur, bronze, broken heel section with ‘Prince of Wales’ style shank (17^th/18^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm)

Sword Belt Hanger, copper alloy, broken (16^th century, found in Cow Field, Imberhorne Farm)

Sword Belt Hanger, copper alloy with leaf design (15^th/16^th century, found in Gullege Field, Imberhorne Farm)        

The following are a small selection of some of the better preserved personal military artefacts, in more detail, that have been found Underfoot in Felbridge.

Spurs

Spurs are metal ‘tools’ worn in pairs on the heels of footwear for the purpose of directing an animal to move forward or laterally while riding, particularly associated with horse riding.  Spurs are not confined to military use but will be covered in this section under Personal Militaria.  The word is very old and is derived from Anglo-Saxon spura or spora, related to spornan or spurnan, to kick or spurn.  It is believed that the earliest spurs were made of bone or wood.  Based on archaeological finds in England, iron or bronze spurs were used and left in Britain by the Romans.  These early spurs had a single sharp protrusion (known as prick spurs) and a straight neck, although by the 12^th century bent neck spurs had been introduced.  By the 14^th century, the rowel had been introduced, first as a fixed rowel and later as a revolving rowel.  The rowel of a spur is usually round and spins like a wheel with spikes that attach to the neck or shank of the spur.  It is the part that actually touches the horse and makes a jingle noise (typical of Western movies) when the rider is walking around.

There are several different designs of spurs including:

Round end: The end is a metal ball about the size of a small marble, making it one of the milder spurs.

Knob end: The end of the spur is squared off, but blunted at the edges.

Prince of Wales: This style has a flat end, making it slightly sharper.

Rowelled spur: The end of the spur has a toothed wheel that spins.  Teeth are dulled at the points.  Most rowels have at least eight teeth on each wheel. 

Swan neck: The neck of the spur goes upward at an angle, before levelling off, looking similar to the neck of a swan.

Waterford: The end of the neck has a large, round, metal ball, making the spur softer and less likely to cause spur rubs.

Le spur (English) or Barrel-Racing spur (Western): The spur has small ‘teeth’ or ridges on the inside of the heel band, instead of a neck.

Half-mounted: The spur is decorated on one side only with silver, copper or bronze decals, logos or coverings.

Full-mounted or Double-mounted: The spur is decorated on both sides (in and out) with precious metals.

Spurs are usually held on by a leather or leather-like spur strap that goes over the arch of the foot and under the sole in front of the boot heel.  Some spur designs have a slot for running the spur strap through, others have ‘buttons’, sometimes on the heel band itself and sometimes attached to the heel band by hinges that allow a strap with buttonholes to be attached.  Spurs are worn with the tip of the neck pointed downward, sitting on the spur rest of the riding boot, if there is one, with the buckle of the spur strap worn on the outside of the foot.

Half Mounted Spur (17^th/18^th century, found in Heath Field, Imberhorne Farm, ID no.36-13)

This partial heal of a spur is made of a copper alloy, probably bronze, and is missing most of its arms and potentially the end of the neck.  However, the spur is decorated on one side of the neck with an engraved leaf and stalk design, picked out in a gold coloured metal.  The arms are half circular with a flattened top and measure 6mm in width, increasing to 10mm at the neck.  The neck is oval in shape, 8mm wide and 5mm deep. 

French Spur (19^th/20^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 62-10)

This rowel spur, with one slightly bent arm, is complete except for the leather straps.  It is stamped ‘G. B. F. PARIS’ in a rectangular lozenge on one arm and ‘NICKEL PUR’ [pure nickel] in a rectangular shaped lozenge on the other arm, so it is a French nickel spur.  Nickel occurs naturally in ores, but it was not until 1751 that it was first isolated and identified as an element.  The first industrial process to refine and purify it was developed in 1848 and by the 1860’s; metalworking firms in Paris were offering casting and plating services and as the refining process was improved, metalworking firms began developing solid nickel products.  The spur is not badly corroded and has a button on the outer side at each end of the arms, with an articulated buckle attached to one of the buttons; the rowel has twenty spikes.  The spur probably dates to between the last quarter of the 19^th century and the first quarter of the 20^th century.

Sword Belt Suspension Hook or Hanger (16^th/17^th century, found at Gullege)

The sword belt suspension hook or hanger is made of cast copper alloy, in a moulded floriate (possibly acanthus leaves) design with a curved hook ending in a terminal knob.  It is about 10cm in length and would have hung, probably as one of three, from a metal plate, known as a sword belt bar, attached to a leather belt; the hooked plates being part of the scabbard fittings.  The use of sword-belt fittings increased dramatically during the 16^th and 17^th centuries which is when this suspension hook or hanger is attributed.

Spoon (mid 20^th century, found at The Birches Piggery off Imberhorne Lane, TQ 374 391, ID no. 65-1)

A stainless steel dessert spoon was found at The Birches Piggery off Imberhorne Lane in the early 1960’s.  The back of the spoon handle is marked with the ‘Broad Arrow’ or ‘Crow’s Foot’, which has been the standard mark of the British military used since 1553.  Set inside a rectangular lozenge, adjacent to the ‘Broad Arrow’ mark, are the initials CUFIN and the number 22B/23 (the stores reference).  The front of the spoon handle has the Regimental no. 2555617 engraved into it.  The spoon probably arrived on site at The Birches Piggery in a collection of pig’s swill that was regular transported from Hobbs Barracks to the piggery in the 1950’s.  Perhaps the spoon was tossed with the remains of an unfinished pudding into the pig bin.

Ordnance

The term Ordnance is used in this document to cover any cannon, artillery, military or leisure ammunition (or fragments of the aforesaid) that have been found Underfoot in Felbridge.  The Ordnance found ranges from cannon balls of the 16^th/17^th century, lead musket balls and pistol shot of the 17^th and 18^th centuries, discarded cartridge cases from the late 19^th century through to the early 21^st century and World War II artefacts including bullets, shrapnel, Bofors cartridge casings and even two unexploded incendiary bombs.

The following are a small selection of some of the better preserved ordnance pieces, in more detail, that have been found Underfoot in Felbridge.

Round Shot

The term Round Shot refers to any solid spherical projectile without an explosive charge that is launched from a gun.  The diameter of the Round Shot is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. Round shot was originally made of dressed stone and was known as gunstone from Middle English gunneston (from gonne, gunne, gun and stoon, ston).  Cast iron Round Shot was first developed in France in around 1450 but was not used extensively in Britain until the 17^th century.  Numerous sizes of Round Shot have been found Underfoot in Felbridge ranging from the largest size – cast iron cannon balls, down to the smallest size – lead pistol shot.

Cannon Balls (16^th-18^th century, found in Long Field, Imberhorne Farm, TQ 365 390, ID no. 18-1237 and Wiremill Lane TQ 368 418, ID no. 64-1)

A cannon ball is simply a large solid, spherical ball fired from a large-calibre gun or smooth-bore cannon using an explosive charge.  It is known that cannon balls and iron shot were cast at Warren furnace in Furnace Wood and there are records of them being transported to Woolwich by Knights Carriers in the 18^th century.  One cannon ball has been found at Imberhorne Farm and two have been found in Wiremill Lane.

Cannon Ball 1: found in Long Field, Imberhorne Farm.  It is made of cast iron and weighs 2lb 4oz (1.1kg).  This weight of cannon ball was typically fired from small cannon known as a Falcon, which has a bore of 2½ins (64mm).  Falcon cannon were the leading artillery of the 16^th century and were used on board ship and on land.

Cannon ball 2: found in Wiremill Lane.  It is made of cast iron and weighs 9oz (255.2g) and is 42mm in diameter.

Cannon ball 3: also found in Wiremill Lane.  It is made of cast iron and is in its rough state before being cleaned up. In its rough state it weighs approximately 12oz (340g).

Small Bore Round Iron Shot (16^th-18^th century, found at 27, Imberhorne Lane, TQ 377 391, and at Strath Cottage, Copthorne Road TQ 371 396, ID no. 60-2)

Two small bore iron Round Shot have so far been found and reported and for the purposes of this document have been called Ball Shot.

Ball Shot 1: found in the garden at 27, Imberhorne Lane by a former resident, this was formerly the fringes of East Grinstead Common.  It was made of cast iron and weighed 3oz (85g) but was sadly thrown away by the resident’s wife!  This is the sort of Ball Shot that would have been fired from a culverin or hand bombard (a hand gun/cannon on a stick), a simple 15^th century French predecessor of the musket; adapted for naval use by the English in the late 16^th century. 

Ball Shot 2: found in the garden of Strath Cottage, Copthorne Road, now the site of the Mulberry Gate development, formerly the site of The Red Lion alias Harts Hall [for further information see Handouts, Harts Hall, SJC 07/05 and Eating and Drinking Establishments of Felbridge, Pt. 2, SJC/JIC 03/08], on land once occupied by the Knight family, formerly on the northern fringe of East Grinstead Common.  The Ball Shot weighs 2oz (56.7g) and measures 24mm in diameter.  It is possibly one of 232, 2oz balls that would have been packed into a canister and fired from a 24lb (10.9kg) cannon.  When fired the canister would burst, spraying a deadly hail of Ball Shot projectiles. 

Small Bore Round Lead Shot

The development of hand-held matchlock guns such as the, culverin and arquebus brought about the use of cast lead balls as projectiles.  The original round lead ball was smaller than the bore of the barrel and was loaded into the barrel just resting upon the powder, being fired from a matchlock gun.  Later wadding was used between the ball and the powder as well as over the ball to keep it in place, being fired by a muzzle-loading, smooth bore flintlock gun. 

Analysis of early lead shot is complicated as there was no standardisation and, as stated above, the balls did not necessarily fit well in the barrel.  Early lead shot was often made ad-hoc by the ‘man in the field’ who would carry a supply of lead off-cuts in a small leather pouch along with something to form the balls like a Small Bore Round Lead Shot Scissor Mould (see below).  However, by the 17^th century lead shot started to become more standardised, mainly due to the upsurge of violence brought about by the English Civil War, and began to be mass produced and delivered to the army in barrels.  After the Civil War, most significant military action was carried out overseas, so most lead shot found in England and Wales is likely to date to the mid 17^th century.  As lead is relatively stable and round shot is such a small object, most of the round shot that were fired or lost on a battlefield have survived almost exactly where they fell.  However, small amounts of lead shot are also found scattered around fields in what seems to be a random manner.  In this case it seems probable that firearms were also used in the exploitation of wild food resources, but it is not known to what extent and by whom.  As there are no known battles in the Felbridge area, it is assumed that most of the lead shot found falls into the ‘exploitation of food resources’ category, although the finding of lead shot in the area could also be indicative of target practise by early Militia groups.

The size of small bore lead shot was termed using either the word ‘calibre’ or ‘bore’, both of which were a measure of how many balls could be made from each pound of lead eg. 12 bore or 12 calibre, means 12 balls to the pound.  According to research produced for Finds Recording Guides, there were at least seven identified weapons that fired small bore round lead shot in the 17^th century when it was not standardised and three standardised types of guns in the 18^th century, which were:

Analysis of the small bore round lead shot found Underfoot in Felbridge shows that there is a variety of ages, sizes and weights have been found:

Based on published weight/bore tables, the analysis of the above data indicates that only 3 large bore, round lead shot (possible musket balls or small musket balls for an aquerbus or cavalier) have been found and recorded, two of which (ID nos. 19-6 and 62-11) would appear to date to the 17^th century.  All the other shot could date to either the 17^th or 18^th century and range in weight from 14g down to 5g, the vast majority (39%) weighing 5g, followed by 10g (17%).  It is important to bear in mind that the majority of the finds are centred on Imberhorne Farm where most field work has been carried out and is definitely not the complete picture for small bore round lead shot found Underfoot in Felbridge.

Bullets and Cartridge Casings

Conical Lead Bullet

Conical lead bullets were the next development after small bore round lead shot, among the first of these conical bullets was designed by Captain John Norton of the British Army in 1832.  However, the British Board of Ordnance rejected it because ‘spherical bullets’ had been used for the previous 300 years!  Eventually, in 1851, the British Army changed its mind and adopted the French designed Minié ball, a type of hollow-base bullet for muzzle loaded rifle muskets.

Conical lead bullet [none of which have the same appearance as the Minié ball] finds include;

Lead bullet 1: measures 5.6mm in diameter and 11mm long; it weighs 2g (found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 62-1)

Lead bullet 2: measures 9.7mm in diameter and 30mm long; it weighs 20g and has some plough damage (found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 62-4)

Full Metal Jacket Bullet & Cartridge Casings

The next development after the conical lead bullet was the full metal jacket bullet, an elongated bullet with a lead core in a copper jacket.  A bullet jacket allowed for higher muzzle velocities than bare lead without depositing significant amounts of metal in the bore.  In the 1860’s, a series of experiments on bullets and rifling were carried out by the British engineer E Metford that resulted in the breach-loading rifle and in 1888, the Lee-Metford (predecessor of the Lee-Enfield) small-bore (.303, 7.70 mm) rifle, Mark I, was adopted by the British army.

Again like the conical lead bullets, full metal jacket bullets and cartridge casings have been at Imberhorne Farm, in a variety of sizes, ranging from 9mm up to 20mm.  The vast majority of the full metal jacket bullets and cartridge cases being percussion-fired .303’s from World War II and rim-fired .22’s, the majority of the latter stamped with the initial ‘U’ (Union Metallic Cartridge company) who made ammunition for Remington an American gun and ammunitions manufacturer.  It is important to bear in mind that the majority of the finds are centred on Imberhorne Farm where most field work has been carried out and is definitely not the complete picture for full metal jacket bullets and cartridge casings found Underfoot in Felbridge.

A few of the more interesting finds include:

Copper alloy .45 bullet, 1: measures 11.4mm in diameter, 17mm long and weighs 13g. (19^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 19-56)

Copper alloy .45 bullet, 2: measures 11.5mm in diameter, 16.5mm long and weighs 14g.  (19^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 54-7)

Copper alloy .303 bullet: a British service bullet from World War II that is badly damaged with a hooked tip implying that it has definitely hit something.  (20^th century, found in Long field, Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 18-344)

Iron and copper alloy 20mm bullet: measures 20.9mm diameter, 830mm long and weighs 96g.  It is an armour piercing bullet and was probably fired from a small field gun like a K2 (see below) or possibly from a British Hurricane during World War II. (20^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 62-7)

Cartridge casing, 1: part of a 9mm, rim-fired Filbert.  The Filbert gun was also known as a gallery, parlour or salon gun.  It was developed in 1845 by Frenchman Louis-Nicolas Filbert and was a type of gun designed for recreational indoor use, such as target shooting. (20^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 62-5) 

Cartridge casing, 2: part of a K2 cartridge casing, 25mm in diameter and 65mm long.  K2 stands for the Kynoch Wartime Factory, Standish, Gloucestershire. (20^th century, found in Heathy Field, Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 41-442)

Bofors Cartridge Casings (20^th century, found in Long Field, Imberhorne Farm, next to the Gullege Track, TQ 365 391)

The Bofors 40mm gun is an anti-aircraft auto-cannon that was designed in the 1930’s by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors.  It was one of the most popular medium-weight anti-aircraft systems used by most of the western allies during World War II.  Five 40mm Bofors brass cartridge casings were found in Long Field at Imberhorne Farm during World War II by local Felbridge residents, close to the position of the anti-aircraft gun instalment. 

Casing 1(collection ID no. 63.1): date stamped 1942.  The casing measures 310mm long with a base width of 62mm.  The base is stamped with the following marks: the ‘Broad Arrow’ mark denoting it’s military property; the calibre size of 40mm; initials ‘C.F.’; and several other marks including ‘AR’ over ‘95’ adjacent to the ‘Broad Arrow’, ‘5 /8’, ‘11’ to the right of ‘40MM’ and ‘DFT’.  On the firing cap is ‘818B’, ‘BR743’ over ‘W’ and ‘TIWMC 3CW’.  There are also inscribed letters and numbers on the ring between the outer edge and the centre of the base but they are indecipherable.

Casing 2 (collection ID no. 63.1): date stamped 1943.  The casing also measures 310mm long with a base width of 62mm.  The base is stamped with the following marks: the ‘Broad Arrow’ mark denoting it’s military property; the calibre size of 40mm; contractor’s initials ‘PP/C’; ‘Lot 817’; the initials ‘CF’; and on the firing cap is the number ‘688’ or ‘889’ and a few other indecipherable letters and numbers.

Casing 3: made in 1943; case length 320mm; case width at base 62mm; the base is stamped with the following marks: the ‘Broad Arrow’ mark denoting it’s military property; the calibre size of 40mm; Lot 126; contractor initials ‘ECC’, 40mm IV; and several other marks inc: ‘PF’ adjacent to the ‘Broad Arrow’.  On the firing cap is ‘818B’, ‘BR743’ over ‘W’ and ‘TIWMC 3CW’. 

Casing 4: made in 1943; case length 320mm; case width at base 62mm; the base is stamped with the following marks: the ‘Broad Arrow’ mark denoting it’s military property; the calibre size of 40mm IV; contractor’s initials ‘ECC’; ‘Lot 127’; the initials ‘NC’ near the ‘Broad Arrow’; and on the firing cap a few other indecipherable letters and numbers.

Casing 5: made in 1943; case length 320mm; case width at base 62mm; the base is stamped with the following marks: the ‘Broad Arrow’ mark denoting it’s military property; the calibre size of 40mm IV; contractor’s initials ‘ECC’; ‘Lot 1277’; the initials ‘NC’ above the ‘Broad Arrow’ with the initials ‘C.F.’ opposite the Lot number; and on the firing cap are the numbers and initials ‘12 111 J’ and a few other indecipherable letters and numbers.

Shotgun Cartridge Cases

An alternative development to the metal jacket cartridge case was that of card/paper cartridge casings, commonly used in shotguns for sport or game.  A shotgun, also known as a scattergun or historically as a fowling piece, is a long barrelled gun designed to shoot a straight-wall cartridge known as a shotshell that usually discharges numerous small spherical pellets called shot as opposed to a single bullet.  They come in a variety of bores/calibres as is borne out by the variety of cartridge bases found Underfoot in Felbridge, ranging from .410 up to 12 bore.  The majority of the shotgun cartridge cases had card/paper cases although some have been found with plastic.  It is important to bear in mind that the majority of the finds are centred on Imberhorne Farm where most field work has been carried out and is definitely not the complete picture for shotgun cartridge casings found Underfoot in Felbridge.

A few of the more interesting finds include:

Shotgun cartridge cases, 1: percussion fired bases only; fired from a .410 shotgun, one of the smallest calibre of shotguns commonly available.  The .410 cartridge first appeared in 1857 made by Eley Brothers Ltd becoming most popular around 1900, being recommended for the ‘requirements of naturalists, as garden guns and for such weapons as walking-stick guns’. (19^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no.62-13)

Shotgun cartridge cases, 2: percussion fired bases only; fired from a 20 bore shotgun, which is a smooth-bore shotgun often used by beginner shooters for target practice and for hunting small game birds.  Records show that the 20 bore was in use from the late 1870’s.  (19^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 62-14)

Shotgun cartridge cases, 3: percussion fired bases, 2 with partially intact card/paper cartridge casings; fired from a 16 bore shotgun, once one of the most popular choices of shotguns among Game Shoots. (20^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no.62-15)

Shotgun cartridge cases, 4: percussion fired bases, fired from a 12 bore shotgun, some cartridges marked with the makers mark for Eley Kynock and some with the mark for Holland of Cirencester, two well known ammunition manufacturing companies.  The 12 bore shotgun is another popular choice among Game Shoots and other shooting pursuits.  (20^th century, found on Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 62-16)

Shotgun cartridge case, 5: percussion fired cartridges with plastic cases, fired from a 12 bore shotgun.  The bases have Baschieri & Pellagri stamped into them.  From the 1950’s the Italian company of Baschieri & Pellagri began the development and production of shotgun cartridges with plastic cases.  (20^th/21^st centuries, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 62-17) 

Shrapnel

Today the definition of shrapnel is fragments of a bomb, shell or other object thrown out by an explosion.  However, in the 19^th century shrapnel was the term given to small metal balls that were contained within artillery shells.  The shells were designed to explode in the air above enemy troops so that the metal balls rained down on the enemy; the term named after H Shrapnel (1761-1842), the English army officer who invented it. 

Numerous pieces of shrapnel have been found in the fields at Imberhorne Farm, all dating to World War II and could therefore be fragments of bombs, shells or other objects thrown out by an explosion.  From War Damage Reports, it is known that the area suffered bombing raids on at least two separate occasions, the worst being in March 1945.  It is also known that anti-aircraft guns operated from the vicinity of Imberhorne Farm during World War II and most of the pieces of shrapnel appear to be anti-aircraft related.

8 pieces of WWII Shrapnel (found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no.51-7), all the pieces are copper alloy;

Piece 1: anti-aircraft shrapnel; 3.83mm thick and has a deep groove running across one side with rifling ( a wide and shallow ridge and furrow pattern) on the other side, ridges measure about 9mm wide and the furrows 5.82mm wide, running at 90 degrees to the deep grooves on the other side.

Piece 2: is flat and measures 2.69mm thick, it has striations but no pattern.

Pieces 3-5: have a concave side and are quite ‘lumpy’ in shape and comparison to the other pieces of anti-aircraft shrapnel found.

Pieces 6 & 7: pieces of anti-aircraft shell; both are part circular shape in shape, with a hole in at the centre, both approximately 4.3mm thick.

Piece 8: anti-aircraft shrapnel; part of the base/top of a shell and a small section of side; has a band running round the side which is 6.22mm wide.

6 pieces of WWII Shrapnel (found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no.62-9). All the pieces are copper alloy, anti-aircraft shrapnel; similar in pattern and thickness as piece 1 above.

2 pieces of WWII Shrapnel (found at Imberhorne Farm, ID nos. 32-103 and 32-105)

Piece 1: possibly part of an anti-aircraft shell timing fuse; has a smooth concave side with ridges running across the outer side.

Piece 2: possibly part of an anti-aircraft shell timing fuse; base or top; thickness of side near base/top is 4.21mm thinning to 2.7mm; the inside edge of the side has groves incised into to it like a screw thread.

Incendiary Bombs

Incendiary bombs were aerial bombs that would have been dropped from a German aircraft, being designed to cause destruction by the detonation of a high-explosive bursting charge or incendiary.  They consisted of a container filled with highly combustible chemicals such as magnesium and were designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment.  Bombs differ from artillery shells in that the latter are propelled through the air by a man-made force, while bombs travel to their targets purely through the force of gravity.

Incendiary Bomb 1: was dug up in the garden of Kendal, Yew Lane, North End, in 1960, by Seymour ‘Bob’ Smith when he was planting an apple tree for his neighbour.  The local newspaper article of the time stated that he’d found ‘a mystery metal object’ and that when he first found it he ‘threw it into the hedge and carried on digging”.  However, his daughter was a little concerned and called the police who in turn notified the bomb disposal unit.  In the meantime, Bob had ‘raked the bomb out of the hedge’.  It was disposed of safely.

Incendiary Bomb 2: landed within the grounds of Felcot Farm in Furnace Wood and was possibly one that fell during a raid in 1939, which knocked out the recently installed, long awaited for, water main for Furnace Wood.  The bomb, measuring 10ins/25.4cms long, was found in 2003 during the property clearance, following the death of owner Ken Housman.

Weaponry

There have been several items of weaponry found in the Felbridge area from Pre-Historic flint arrow and spear heads (to be covered in Underfoot in Felbridge, Pt. 3 – Pre-Conquest) to a couple of items from the 19^th century, which include:

Dagger Hilt or handle (14^th century, found in Heathy Field, Imberhorne Farm)

Gilded brass, Knife Sheath; 6 inches (15.2cms) long (19^th century, found in Cow Field, Imberhorne Farm)

The following are three of the more interesting items of weaponry, in more detail, that have been found Underfoot in Felbridge.

Dane Axe (10^th-11^th century, found in the wood at Furnace Lodge, Furnace Road, Furnace Wood, TQ 351 391)

The axe head is extremely corroded to a deep orange and brown colour.  The socket of the axe is incomplete and the wooden haft (handle) is missing.  It has a triangular or wedge shaped blade with a slight curve to the cutting edge.  The blade of the axe projects downwards more than upwards from the centre.

It is a Petersen Type M broad blade axe typically known as a Dane Axe, though they were a common weapon type used by English forces between 900 – 1100.  They are depicted on the Bayeux tapestry being wielded, two handed, by the English forces, particularly by the huscarls, who were either non-servile man-servants or household troops in personal service of someone.  The axe is a utilitarian weapon and also served as a multifunction tool equally useful for chopping wood as well as for battle.  Axes persisted in use in battle well into the medieval period.  The type found in Felbridge conforms to the shape of those from the earlier period rather than being similar to the later developments.

Sword or Dagger Pommel (15^th/16^th century, found at Imberhorne Farm, ID no. 51-43)

The word pommel comes from Anglo-Norman pomel meaning ‘little apple’ and is an enlarged fitting at the top of the handle of a sword or dagger.  The pommel was originally developed to prevent the sword or dagger slipping out of the hand.  From around the 11^th century the pommel became heavy enough to be a counterweight to the blade giving a sword a point of balance not too far from the hilt allowing a more fluid fighting style.  The pommel found at Imberhorne Farm is of cast copper alloy, 32mm (1¼ins) in diameter and weighs 49g (1.7ozs).  The pommel is circular in plan and sub-biconical when viewed in profile.  The upper face of the object has a 'ribbed' appearance, created by the means of eight deep radiating grooves that form eight triangular segments all converging towards the aperture at the apex of the object.  There is a central depression that may have been inlaid with something, either another metal or perhaps set with a stone.  The hollow concave underside has the remains of the iron tang and would have been attached to a sword or dagger handle, wrapping around the outer perimeter of the handle.

Cannon (16^th-18^th century, Furnace Woods, Furnace Road, Furnace Wood, TQ 3502 3923)

There is a verbal history from several former Furnace Wood residents, that in the 1930’s/40’s, there was a mis-shapen cannon that lay beside the hedge in the garden of the property known as Furnace Woods, Furnace Road, Furnace Wood, adjacent to Felcot Road.  The cannon was no doubt cast at Warren furnace [for further information see Handout, Warren Furnace, SJC 01/00], the blast furnace located some 150 yards west of the property known as Furnace Woods.  Sadly it is not known if the cannon was cast in iron or bronze, which would have determined a more accurate date of manufacture and unfortunately, the cannon has long since disappeared.

Manufacture

It is known that the Felbridge area was a centre for the manufacture of iron from at the early Roman period until the last decades of the 18^th century, the area having all the three commodities needed for making iron; iron ore, wood for charcoal used as the fuel and water to aid the manufacturing process, especially when the blast furnace was introduced to the area in the mid 16^th century.  Evidence for the manufacturing processes can be found almost everywhere underfoot in Felbridge in the form of tap slag and cinder, often used as metalling for the early roads in the area.  However, this document will be covering only the waste products from weapons and armaments manufacture found underfoot in Felbridge dating to the mid 16^th century and, on and off, until the end of 18^th century.  

The following are a small selection of some of the better preserved pieces resulting from the manufacture of military artefacts that have been found Underfoot in Felbridge.

Iron Tap Slag and Cinder (16^th-18^th century, found at the site of Warren furnace, Warren furnace, TQ 347 393, in Furnace Wood, TQ 349 395, in the fields of Imberhorne Farm TQ 370 386 and in the Wiremill area, TQ 368 418)

The most common types of armaments and weaponry manufacturing waste products found underfoot in the Felbridge area are tap slag and cinder from the blast furnace, known as Warren furnace [for further information see Handout, Warren Furnace, SJC 01/00] that once operated from Furnace Wood and iron working refuse/cinder from Woodcock hammer mill that operated, in conjunction with Warren furnace, from what is now known as The Wiremill off the A22 [for further information see Handout, Wiremill, SJC 03/06]. 

Warren furnace began operating as a blast furnace in about 1554 and was a furnace of some height.  It was fed at the open top with roasted iron ore and charcoal, where the combustion was intensified by a blast of air (delivered by a large set of water powered bellows) blowing through the hot mixture and from which, at the bottom, fluid metal was tapped.  The fluid metal from the blast furnace was run into sand moulding beds in the floor of a casting house in front of the furnace to produce cast iron ‘sows’ which in turn were refined at Woodcock hammer mill turning the cast iron, which is hard and brittle, into wrought iron, which is malleable and can be worked by blacksmiths into products such as everyday tools.  However, it is known that Warren furnace also cast cannon and cannon balls, particularly when Britain was at war and armaments were required by the Board of Ordnance.

As well as the fluid iron, the blasting process also created a non-metallic co-product, known as tap slag, which is created as a by-product with each blasting.  The principle constituents of blast furnace tap slag are silica, alumina, calcium and magnesia, which comprise 95% of the tap slag’s total makeup.  When cooled, blast furnace tap slag is glassy looking, hard and durable, with a colour palette, found in the Felbridge area, ranging from grey through to black; sometimes veined with white or pale gray.  The tap slag can also be a solid mass or light in weight and full of air bubbles, often resembling lava.  Along with tap slag, another waste material generated with the blasting process and the hammering process is cinder.  Cinders are the clinker-like accretions of slag mixed with ore fragments and charcoal that collected in the bottom of the furnace or forging hearth and were raked out at the end of the operation.  Cinders are rich in ferrous oxide and are generally found as rusty granular, irregular shaped masses. 

Large quantities of the hard, glassy tap slag have been found underfoot in the Felbridge area at the site of Warren furnace, in Furnace Wood, in the fields at Imberhorne Farm (particularly in Long Field, TQ 366 388) and in the Wiremill area.  There would have been two phases of tap slag, the first dating to c1554 to 1627, before the furnace closed and again between c1762 and c1774 when the furnace re-opened, for a brief period.

Bronze Tap Slag (18^th century, found at site of Warren furnace TQ 347 393 and in Furnace Wood, TQ 349 395)

As established above, Warren furnace originally cast iron either as sows or cannon.  However, in 1770 Edward Raby, who ran Warren furnace, diversified his business by undertaking the casting of bronze ordnance [for further information see Handout, Warren Furnace, SJC 01/00].  Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper with about 12% tin.  Bronze cannons were lighter but more expensive than iron ones and most English bronze cannon were made under royal commission and were generally used on Royal warships.  There is no evidence that bronze was made at Warren furnace and it is known that bronze to make the cannons was carted down from Woolwich and consisted of old broken or scrap guns/cannon.  Again, as with the blasting process of iron, tap slag was a by-product of the founding process of bronze and pieces of copper rich tap slag, believed to be associated with the bronze casting at Warren furnace, have been found at the site of Warren furnace and in Furnace Wood.  Bronze tap slag is glassy and with tinges of blue, reminiscent of copper oxide and this tap slag dates to c1770 to c1774 when Raby diversified and was casting in bronze.

Cannon mould lining shards (16^th-18^th century, found around Felcot Farm, Furnace Wood, TQ 353 397, ID no. 13-15)

Mould lining shards, a by-product of the cannon manufacturing process, have been found in the fields at Felcot Farm in Furnace Wood.  These shards of fired clay show the imprint of tightly wound rope that was one of the first phases of gun founding.  For cannon and small mortar, the barrel model was built up on a wooden spindle on a brick firebox.  The spindle was rotated and rye-straw rope was wound tightly onto it.  When the straw rope was of sufficient depth a clay layer of about an inch was added.  A small fire was lit beneath the spindle to slowly dry the model as it was being built up.  A template called a strickle was used to form the shape of the barrel.  Melted wax was then poured onto the mould and the strickle used to make the fillets and reinforcing rings highly defined.

The detailed ornaments were made using the lost wax process to make the models that were then attached to the model barrel using skewers.  Lifting rings called dolphins were added to guns for land use, Raby was the only gunfounder who had perfected the founding of iron cannon including the dolphins in the main casting.  The trunnion models were also added.  This completed the barrel model.  The model was longer than the eventual barrel as it had a feeding head model at the muzzle end, this compensated for the shrinkage of the metal as it cooled in the mould and also provided a headspace into which impurities could rise.

The first layer of the mould was critical as this was the one against which the metal would eventually be cast.  A mixture of sieved clay and fine sand was applied in thin layers and allowed to dry slowly building up the mould.  Once it was about an inch thick, it might be reinforced by winding hemp around the model.  The iron skewers would be removed at this stage, the wax ornaments would now be held in place by the clay of the mould.  A further layer of coarser clay was added over a constant fire, making the mould up to its eventual thickness.  This varied with the size of the gun, being up to about 3 inches/7.6cms for the larger cannon.

The mould was then reinforced with iron staves and hoops.  The mould was now removed from the turning frame to enable the model to be removed from the centre.  To remove the model, the tapered spindle was firstly struck out and then the rope was pulled out.  A fire could be lit within the mould to melt the wax models and to make the clay brittle and easier to remove [for more in formation see Handout, Gunfounding, JIC 11/06].  It is pieces of the outer clay of the model lining that have been found scattered on the fields at Felcot Farm, on Hedgecourt Common.  The most likely use of these fired clay pieces is that they acted as marl for improving the soil.

Small Bore Round Lead Shot Scissor Mould (18^th-19^th century, found in Wiremill Lane, TQ 368 418, ID no. 64-2)

Bullets for early firearms were made as lead balls in iron scissor moulds.  The moulds had a scissor action, with ends shaped as a hollow half-sphere that formed a ball when the handles closed.  Melted lead was poured into a small filling hole in the top of the closed mould and when the lead was set the handles were opened and the ball was released from the mould.  The mould cavity casts a round ball with a stem called a sprue, which was trimmed off using the cutting edge of the mould after the ball had cooled.  This left a near-spherical ball with a slight pimple and ridge around the join from the barrel mould; this could be filed off to increase accuracy. 

The small bore round lead shot scissor mould found in the Wiremill area is just over 5½ inches/143mm in length, has the number 25 stamped in two place on one of the arms indicating it produced 25 bore shot – a ball that has a diameter of about 12.7mm.  Although no lead was found near the scissor mould, numerous pieces of cut-up lead, scrap lead and lead which has obviously been melted and has then cooled incorporating bits of debris, have been found in various fields at Imberhorne Farm implying that in the past, people carried their own supply of scrap lead to make their own lead balls when and where they needed them (see above).

Observations of the Militaria & Weaponry on the FFD

It is evident, at the time of writing, that the whole Felbridge area is not well represented by the collection of Militaria & Weaponry as most of the finds come from the southern end of the area on the Sussex side of the county boundary, the vast majority of pieces found at Imberhorne Farm and Gullege, with a few pieces found in Imberhorne Lane, formerly part of East Grinstead Common, at Felbridge Water on the south side of Copthorne Road, at Llanberis Farm, on the north side of Crawley Down Road, formerly part of Hedgecourt Common, and in Furnace Wood.  The database shows very little reported as found on the Surrey side of the county boundary except a lead musket ball/pistol shot that was found in the grounds of the former manorial seat of Felbridge, now the site of Whittington College, another one found on the former ‘Drove Way’ in fields to the northeast of The Limes Estate and a lead pistol shot scissor mould and two cannon balls found in the Wiremill area.  This is not to say that there are no Militaria & Weaponry artefacts on the Surrey side of the county boundary just that they have not yet been found or reported. 

Bibliography