Whitehawk Camp

Whitehawk Camp is a Neolithic causewayed enclosure featuring four concentric rings with interrupted ditches spread across the chalk hills of South Downs. The site covers roughly 100 meters and displays the characteristic layout typical of early Stone Age settlements.

This settlement developed roughly 5,500 years ago during the early Neolithic period and ranks among Britain's oldest known human occupation sites. It emerged about 1,000 years before Stonehenge, showing how early communities organized themselves in southern England.

The name likely references hawk watching, an activity significant to Stone Age communities in this region. Local heritage efforts recognize the site as a meeting place where early people gathered to work and share in communal life.

The site is reachable via bus routes 21 and 37, with limited parking available near the Brighton Racecourse grandstand. Visitors should expect uneven ground since the location sits on natural hills and can become muddy in wet weather.

The third bank is the most complete section and clearly shows the structure of interrupted ditches. Many visitors overlook this area, yet it offers the best chance to understand how the original construction worked.

Location: Brighton and Hove

GPS coordinates: 50.82750,-0.11194

Latest update: December 8, 2025 20:00