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Linear earthwork south of village

A Scheduled Monument in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, Brighton and Hove

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Coordinates

Latitude: 50.8522 / 50°51'8"N

Longitude: -0.0695 / 0°4'10"W

OS Eastings: 535987.8899

OS Northings: 107633.2842

OS Grid: TQ359076

Mapcode National: GBR KQ5.F87

Mapcode Global: FRA B6RV.6RM

Entry Name: Linear earthwork S of village

Scheduled Date: 14 July 1966

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1002262

English Heritage Legacy ID: ES 254

County: Brighton and Hove

Electoral Ward/Division: Moulsecoomb and Bevendean

Built-Up Area: Brighton and Hove

Traditional County: Sussex

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): East Sussex

Church of England Parish: Stanmer with Falmer, St Laurence

Church of England Diocese: Chichester

Summary

Linear Earthwork on Falmer’s Hill, 1.1km SSE of Court Farmhouse.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 31 July 2014. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes a linear earthwork situated on a north-east chalk downland slope between Falmer’s Hill and Loose Bottom in the South Downs, east of Brighton. The earthwork is denoted by a linear bank and ditch about 860m in length. The bank is up to 1m high and the ditch is up to 1.5m deep and 2.7m wide. It follows a straight course for nearly 400m from Falmer Road towards the south-east before curving to the north-east. It then runs for about 370m before turning north-west and continuing for a distance of about 80m. A section of the earthwork to the north has been destroyed during the widening of Falmer Road. The function and origin of the earthwork is unknown. The area of Loose Bottom is shown as a ‘Big Gun Range’, ‘practice ground of the 1st Sussex Volunteer Artillery’ on the 1873 Sussex OS Map (1:2500) with a gun platform and flag staff nearby. The earthwork is marked as an ‘Ancient Valley Entrenchment’ with a sheepfold close by on the 1911 Sussex OS Map (1:2500). It is recorded in one documentary source as of medieval origin, with evidence of a building nearby, and may have been used for corralling stock.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The linear earthwork on Falmer’s Hill, 1.1km SSE of Court Farmhouse survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental information relating to its construction and function. Despite the uncertainty concerning its identification it is clear that this earthwork is unusual in form and of substantial construction and for this reason must be considered as of importance. The presence of a stock enclosure, cross dykes and round barrow cemeteries in the vicinity, which form separate scheduled monuments, enhance its significance.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
NMR TQ30NE74. PastScape 973823. ,

Source: Historic England

Other nearby scheduled monuments

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