THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

HARROW HILL FLINT MINES

Map Reference TQ 082 100

Copyright Valerie Martin 2004

The Harrow Hill Neolithic flint mines are at the end of a chain of mines on the hills between the Rivers Arun and Adur, the others in the chain being also near Findon — at Blackpatch Hill, Church Hill and, of course, Cissbury Ring.

The above photograph is of nearby Harrow Hill in August 2004.   The earliest known activity on the summit comes from a group of around 160 Neolithic flint mines,  just as on Cissbury Ring — inhabited now by rabbits.   The area can be now explored but the modern day explorer will only see filled in shallow pits.  

And before you ask, yes I did climb to the summit and found some ramparts too...... all that is left of a prehistoric fort built by a lost civilisation. 

Excavation of a small Iron Age enclosure on the summit in the past has revealed a number of ox skulls.   These maybe resulting from the autumn slaughter before winter set in which took place here ...... the heads were perhaps left as offerings at the shrine.

The purpose of the mines was to obtain the best quality flint for cutting implements.    I would point out that flint that has been lying on the surface of the hillside is of little use, as it has become tough through exposure to the weather.   Our ancestors found that when freshly obtained flint from the chalk was excavated it existed in horizontal seems..... and this could be more easily worked into axes.    They sank a number of shafts close to each other and from the bottom of their shafts they drove radiating galleries (tunnels) to follow the seams of underground flint.   The principles of the operation are very similar to a modern coal mine.

When one shaft had been worked by the miners, they dug another and the previous shaft was filled with the material now excavated from the new one.   Hence, all of the shafts and honeycomb of galleries were soon filled up to the mouth with broken chalk.

What did I spy in a nearby harvested field?

It's Mr Freddie Fox.   I watched him for ages and ages as he was walking up and down and sniffing among the discarded stalks..... and then pouncing on an unsuspecting mouse........

After a while, he grew suspicious of the bush wearing a summer dress that kept moving closer...... and gave me a long stare.....and retreated to the woodland.

Continue if you would like to read about The Neolithic Village above Findon at High Salvington

This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.