Scheduled Monuments›England›Devil's Dyke hillfort

Devil's Dyke hillfort

England
List entry 1014953
Nation
England
The designation
Reference
List entry 1014953
Authority
Historic England (NHLE)
Status
Scheduled Monument
Scheduled area
20.83 hectares
Grid reference
TQ 25969 11049
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

Devil's Dyke is a prehistoric hillfort located on the South Downs near Ditchling in West Sussex, England. The site comprises a substantial univallate earthwork consisting of a single defensive bank and ditch that cuts across the narrowest point of a pronounced ridge, enclosing an interior area of approximately six hectares. Archaeological and topographical evidence suggests the hillfort dates to the Iron Age, likely constructed during the Middle to Late Iron Age period. The monument represents a significant defensive settlement characteristic of the Iron Age fortification strategy in southern Britain, commanding views across the Weald and the coastal plain and serving as a stronghold for the local community during this period of increased settlement consolidation and territorial control.

Devil's Dyke hillfort is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1014953. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Devil's Dyke hillfort?

Devil's Dyke is a prehistoric hillfort located on the South Downs near Ditchling in West Sussex, England. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1014953.

Who is responsible for protecting Devil's Dyke hillfort?

Devil's Dyke hillfort is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1014953.

What other scheduled monuments are near Devil's Dyke hillfort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Section of Port's Road and barrow on Round Hill, Hangleton (2.9 km), Martin Down style enclosure, bowl barrow, Iron Age hillfort, Romano-British village and associated field system on Thundersbarrow Hill (4.1 km), Dovecote at Patcham Court Farm, 80m north west of All Saints Church (4.6 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Devil's Dyke hillfort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Devil's Dyke hillfort's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Devil's Dyke hillfort report
Or see a real report first
Nearby

Other scheduled monuments within 10 km

Section of Port's Road and barrow on Round Hill, Hangleton
2.9 km
Martin Down style enclosure, bowl barrow, Iron Age hillfort, Romano-British village and associated field system on Thundersbarrow Hill
4.1 km
Dovecote at Patcham Court Farm, 80m north west of All Saints Church
4.6 km
Old manor house (remains of), Portslade-By-Sea
4.7 km
Cross dyke on Beeding Hill, 1100m north west of New Erringham Farm Cottages
5.6 km
Romano-British villa at Manor Hall Road, Southwick
5.6 km
Earthworks and lynchets near Eastwick Barn, Patcham
6 km
Shrunken medieval settlement at Old Erringham
6.3 km
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Devil's Dyke hillfort

Devil's Dyke hillfort stands on White Chalk Subgroup, bedrock that formed in the Maastrichtian. The rock here is chalk.

The wider landscape

Around Devil's Dyke hillfort

Battle of Lewes 1264Battle (1264) · ~8.5 miles
Domesday entry for Fulking, Sussex →
All Scheduled Monuments