Biggest dig yet planned for Highdown Hill to uncover Worthing history – and the community can get involved

The project will be part of the Council for British Archaeology’s annual Festival of Archaeology, with Worthing Museum working in partnership with National Trust Archaeology and Worthing Archaeological Society for the community Highdown Big Dig.

Project leader James Sainsbury, Worthing Museum's archaeology curator, said: "Highdown has seen numerous excavations in the past, most notably the poorly-executed digging of the 1890s, when the cemetery was first revealed, and a rescue dig after hurricane damage in 1988. This will be the first Big Dig to take place at Highdown, and the first excavation in nearly 40 years."

The Highdown Big Dig 2025 will take place from Saturday, July 19, to Friday, August 1, with free daily tours and an open day featuring Anglo-Saxon re-enactment.

James said: "Highdown Hill is an archaeological site of national importance, with its Bronze Age enclosure, Iron Age hill fort built on top of the Bronze Age enclosure, Roman activity including a bath house and, of course, the nationally-significant Anglo-Saxon / Early Medieval cemetery within the ramparts.

"We will be investigating multiple features across the hill, including a possible Bronze Age burial mound, Iron Age field systems, Roman activity near the bath house and more.

"By applying this holistic approach to the landscape we hope to reveal archaeological evidence for human activity at Highdown over thousands of years. Visitors will be able to see live archaeology take place, with trenches and test pits visible to the public from Sunday, July 20, through to Thursday, July 31."

James said it was an exciting project, with the top osteoarchaeologist from UCL Institute of Archaeology (Archaeology South-East) on hand in case human or animal remains are found on site.

Worthing Museum is currently closed but later next year, it will be hosting a major exhibition showcasing the results from the Highdown Big Dig. In conjunction with the exhibition, the museum will be hosting a conference, entitled The Story of Highdown Hill, with speakers from across the country invited to discuss the multi-period history of this special landmark.

There will be lots of free-to-attend tours and workshops at the summit of the hill, suitable for children and adults alike. Meet at Highdown Gardens car park for the daily tours, July 21 to 25 and July 27 to 31, 1.30pm to 2.30pm, and July 26 10.30am to 11.30am, 12pm to 1pm, and 2pm to 3pm.

Children's workshops include making Roman coins and Saxon brooches from July 23 to 26 and July 28 to 30, 2pm to 3pm. Young adults can make a willow weaving heritage tension tray on July 26, 11am to 1pm.

The open day on July 26 will also feature living history group Weorod demonstrating Anglo-Saxon life and death on site from 10am to 4pm, flint knapping demonstrations from 10.30am to 3.30pm, bug hunts hosted by the National Trust Ranger team from 10.30am to 3.30pm and the opportunity to see the artefacts uncovered so far.

Members of the team will be camping on site throughout the project to ensure the site is secured.