Goosehill Camp

Goosehill Camp is an Iron Age earthwork in West Sussex, standing within the Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve on the South Downs. It consists of two concentric banks and ditches, with the inner enclosure containing two levelled hut sites and a single entrance. The site’s earthworks remain clearly visible today, marking where prehistoric people once lived. Excavations have revealed its long history. J. R. Boyden first explored the site between 1953 and 1955. Later, in 2008–2009, University College London’s Institute of Archaeology, led by Mark Roberts, conducted further digs, supported by topographical and magnetometry surveys. A volunteer-led field survey between 2014 and 2016 also included Goosehill Camp, expanding understanding of the surrounding landscape. Visitors walk among the earthworks, tracing the paths of ancient ditches and banks. The site sits amid the quiet woodlands of Kingley Vale, where other prehistoric remains like the Devil’s Humps can also be found. The contrast between the earthworks and the natural reserve creates a peaceful setting for reflection on the past.