Throughout 2026, Wealden Cave and Mine Society will be working with the National Trust on a project to uncover and investigate a well and pumphouse at Colley Hill near Reigate that was built in 1898 by George Taylor of Margery Hall. Investigations in 2015 proved that there are substantial remains at the excavation site and that there is a lot more to discover here. The success of our earlier investigations has led to the current more thorough plan to discover what else lies here and to complete the story of this fascinating and unusual part of our local history. The work to be conducted in 2026 will involve making a proper record of what is found beneath the surface.
This page will provide updates on the work being done. We invite you to contact us if you want to know more about the project and find out how to get involved if you would like to help us.
Day 2 – 13th March 2026
We took advantage of a mostly dry day to extend the trench exposing the NW wall of the pumphouse and have now found the north corner, complete with several courses of brickwork making up a buttress or roof support column at the corner.
Day 1 – 9th March 2026
To start the whole project off National Trust volunteers had recently cleared away a few dying or unhealthy trees that would have prevented us conducting the excavation easily. Once the ground was clear three of us visited the site on 9th March to remove the remaining vegetation and to locate one of the side walls of the old pumphouse.
