Abstract
This thesis examines the evidence for human activity and settlement in the Wandle Valley from earliest times to the Saxon period. The differences and similarities of such activity and settlement between various periods are discussed. Material in the River Thames is studied with regard to the evidence from the land, and reasons for the material being in the River Thames are offered. The influence of the River Wandle on nearby settlement is discussed, with a comparison with the influence of the River Thames; other influences on settlement are also discussed for each archaeological period, and conclusions are drawn as to which of the factors influencing the ancient settlement patterns are predominant in determining the nature of these settlement patterns. The reliability of the evidence is discussed, and a method of studying urban areas is developed which, in the opinion of the author, could well be applicable to the study of past settlement patterns in many other urban areas.