Bronze Age Cross Dyke - Whiteways, Bury Hill

This Bronze Age cross dyke is located just to the north of Whiteways Cafe, on Bury Hill. The cross dyke comprises of a ditch and bank and is dated to the middle Bronze Age. A modern track passes through it north / south towards its eastern end.

It is a Scheduled Monument and the Historic England listing for the site - List Entry Number 1015960 can be found at:

Cross dyke 330m north west of Whiteways Lodge

An interesting discussion regarding the occurrence and function of cross dykes on the South Downs can be found here:

Cross ridge dykes in the South Downs National Park

Cross dyke looking east - west

Cross dyke looking west - east

Whilst the Scheduled Monument along with the wider Whiteways Countryside Site - is in private ownership, the current habitat management of the countryside site is undertaken by West Sussex County Council, Countryside Team:

West Sussex County Council - Whiteways Countryside Site

Much of the grassland of the countryside site incl. that of the cross dyke itself is currently managed as chalk grassland - as such the earthworks are best viewed in the autumn and winter months when the grass is short. In the spring and summer the cross dyke and surrounding grassland provides interest for both its chalk grassland flora species and associated butterflies.