A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



the ancient Weald (now in most cases cultivated as arable land) is 

 another indication of man's efforts to keep the Wealden wolves from 

 the flocks on the grassy Downs, or perhaps to keep the flocks of the 

 Downs from straying into the dense forests of the Weald. 



The down-land formed the pasturage for the sheep and cattle of 

 neolithic man ; the more sheltered valleys, near water, near food, and 

 near fuel-supply, were evidently the home of such as were not actually 

 engaged in tending the live stock on the Downs. 



Under conditions such as these, the great value of observation- 

 points commanding all possible approaches will be evident, and it is 

 impossible to study the Sussex hill-top enclosures with any care without 

 discovering how this idea of securing extensive views over all the 

 surrounding country, or, where this was not possible, signalling posts 

 from hill-top to hill-top, has entered into the policy of selecting sites 

 and arranging defensive ramparts. 



The defenced hilltops of Sussex furnish, in fact, a regular series of 

 observation and signalling posts. Along the northern crest of the 

 South Downs, overlooking many miles of Wealden scenery, are Ditch- 

 ling Beacon, Wolstanbury, Devil's Dyke, Chanctonbury and the 

 Trundle. An intermediate belt of camps, situated roughly about half- 

 way between the crest of the Downs and the sea-coast, consists of 

 Hollingbury and Cissbury, both communicating with the camps on the 

 crest of the Downs, but not commanding a view over the Weald. 

 Answering to these is a series of camps on and near the sea-coast, com- 

 prising Beltout, Seaford, Newhaven (destroyed). White Hawk, and 

 High Down. There are three points which stand out on the crest of 

 the South Downs with peculiar prominence, viz. Chanctonbury Ring, 

 the Devil's Dyke Camp, and Ditchling Beacon, but the less prominent 

 heights, such as White Hawk, Hollingbury, and Cissbury, will all be 

 found to be equally visible from the different camps on or near the 

 Downs. It is quite clear that there was in ancient times a regular 

 system of signalling from the South Downs to the sea-coast. 



SIMPLE ENCLOSED CAMPS 

 [Class C] 



Of the rectangular Roman camps (Class C), Sussex appears to 

 contain only one specimen, i.e. that of Hardham, although there are, 

 of course, the walled towns of Chichester and Pevensey. 



Hardham Camp. — This interesting work has been much damaged 

 by the making of the Mid-Sussex Railway through it and by other 

 causes. When perfect it was nearly a true square, its sides respectively 

 measuring 420 ft. and 435 ft. Its single line of rampart is only about 

 four feet in height. The camp lies thirty-six feet above the level 

 of the river Arun. A brief account of Hardham Camp, accompanied 

 by fuller particulars of Romano-British interments in the neighbourhood, 

 was read in 1863 by Dr. W. Boyd-Dawkins.' 



' Suss. Arch. Coll. xvi. 52-64. 

 470 



