Highdown Hill (Saturday 22rd March)
These walks have been designed to introduce you to the South Downs through its archaeology. Led by James Sainsbury, Curator of Archaeology at Worthing Museum, this will be a chance to learn more about the deep time of this landscape, and the legacies left by the people who have lived and died here over thousands of years. The South Downs is a rich and diverse archaeological landscape, covering a significant portion of the South East and reflecting a once continuous narrative of settlement from the chalk cliffs of Sussex to the sacred prehistoric landscapes of Wessex. Hear the stories of migration, settlement, challenge and change evident in the contours of the Downs and under your feet.
There is no charge to attend the walk, but places are limited, so pre-booking is essential. You are welcome to book tickets on behalf of others, but each ticket will need to be booked separately.
Description: Highdown Hill dominates the coastal plain, with views from the Isle of Wight to Seven Sisters. People have been drawn to this eminence for thousands of years, with archaeological finds from all eras discovered at the site. Perhaps the most famous are the remains of 200 individuals, buried between 5th and 7th centuries, with rich grave goods. You can also hear more on new findings that have grown our understanding of this site thanks to the Highdown Hill Big Dig over the summer of 2025.
Walk duration: The walk will take approximately 2 hours, covering approximately 2 miles with stops along the way.
Meeting time: 9:30 am
Meeting place: We will meet at the Highdown Hill car park opposite the entrance to Highdown Gardens. The postcode is for this car park is BN12 6PF.
What3Words reference: ///laser.editor.pass
https://w3w.co/laser.editor.pass
50.826366, -0.441705
509849,104137
Transport: For public transport options, see: https://www.traveline.info/
Assessment of terrain/Difficulty of walk: There is a short climb to the summit from the car park.
Pay as You Feel information: If you enjoy this walk, there is an opportunity to ‘Pay As You Feel’, by making a donation to the South Downs Trust to help support our conservation and engagement work, which includes activities like these archaeology walks. Details about how to make a donation if you wish to, can be found below: https://southdowns.enthuse.com/donate#!/
Your donation can help us continue to offer opportunities such as our Archaeology Walks, and can support our ongoing work to carry out vital countryside conservation, improve cycling and walking trails, and get more young people involved to ensure the South Downs National Park can be enjoyed by all.
These walks remain open to all, for free, on a first come / first served basis with regards to booking.
