Ancient South Downs monument damaged

An appeal for information has gone out after damage was discovered at an ancient South Downs monument.
By Sarah Page
Published 20th Sep 2022, 12:40 BST
Updated 20th Sep 2022, 12:47 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Sussex Heritage Community says that ‘unexplained ground disturbance’ has been found at Chanctonbury Ring.

The group is asking anyone who knows anything about the damage to contact Sussex Police and the South Downs National Park Authority.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chanctonbury Ring is a prehistoric hill fort on the South Downs on the border of Washington and Wiston.

Unexplained damage has been caused to Chanctonbury Hill, an ancient monumentUnexplained damage has been caused to Chanctonbury Hill, an ancient monument
Unexplained damage has been caused to Chanctonbury Hill, an ancient monument

It forms part of historical features created over more than 2,000 years, including round barrows dating from the Bronze Age to the Saxon periods and dykes dating from the Iron Age and Roman periods.

Its purpose is not known but it is thought it could have been used as a defensive position, a cattle enclosure or religious shrine.

After a few centuries of use, it was abandoned for about 500 years until it was reoccupied during the Roman period.