Castle Hill Hillfort, or ‘Miching Camp’, Newhaven, Sussex

Castle Hill hillfort is a univallate Iron Age enclosure of indeterminate size – unfortunately due to erosion and later constructions, this fort has largely disappeared. In 1869 Lane-Fox (later Pitt-Rivers) reported that:

“The Castle, Newhaven – about 1680 yards of the northern front still remain and it appears to be arranged in a succession of re-entering curves and salient points – enough however remains to show that this work occupied the whole summit of the hill and conformed to the outline of the brow”.(1)

For hillforts in similar circumstances see Flower’s Barrow hillfort, Bindon Hill hillfort, and Seaford Head hillfort.

Castle Hill hillfort is Intervisible with Belle Tout hillfort, and Seaford Head hillfort.

Summary from the Atlas of Hillforts:

“Thought destroyed, possible contour hillfort located on Castle Hill or Burrow Cliff or Burrow Head facing the sea to S. In an area of severe slumping, further mutilated by old military works. However, landscape assessment by Archaeology South East has revealed earthworks spanning later prehistoric to modern periods (Johnson 2000). Mentioned as ‘Miching Camp’ in 17th century and later in 18th and 19th centuries when N side seems to have extended for c. 365m – 457m from hill summit down to site of modern fort.

Finds, including those from an excavation 1935-8 (Field 1939) include a sherd of Neolithic ware, Bronze Age hoard of woodworking tools and some Bronze Age sherds, together with very numerous Iron Age sherds including Belgic, and numerous Romano-British sherds and Roman coins. Small Iron Age bowl in Lewes Museum. Grassy scrub and bare rock.”

https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/?query=Atlas_of_Hillforts_4166_0%2CMain_Atlas_Number%2C3732

Lock, G. and Ralston, I. 2017.  Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. [ONLINE] Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk.

Location

Google Map for Castle Hill hillfort. OS coordinates: TQ 446 000. Nearest town/village: Newhaven.

References

(1) Archaeologia 42 1869 34-5 (Col A H Lane-Fox) (Examination etc of the Hill-forts of Sussex)