Harrow Hill

Nearest town:
Arundel (7km SW)
OS reference:
TQ081100
OS sheet:
197
Latitude:
50° 52' 43.6 N
Longitude:
0° 27' 47.74 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Harrow Hill (Ancient Mine / Quarry) by A R Cane

A bizarre story. Some friends of ours currently have an art installation at Worthing 6th Form College and asked me to come and photograph it today. At the end of the shoot I noticed what was obviously a roughed out flint axe head on a table along with some of their other bits and pieces and asked them what it was doing there. They said they'd found it down the side of an old garage next door and had noticed the writing on it (MH Harrow Hill 50), but didn't know exactly what it was. I suspect someone borrowed it years ago from the local museum to draw, but failed to give it back. I'm off to the museum tomorrow morning to check it out.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Jun 25, 2015
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Image of Harrow Hill (Ancient Mine / Quarry) by A R Cane

Looking South towards the sea with what looks like faint traces of field systems at the base of the hill and those darned sheep in the foreground.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Nov 16, 2010
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Image of Harrow Hill (Ancient Mine / Quarry) by A R Cane

Looking to the summit of Harrow Hill and the enclosure with evidence of pitting from the numerous neolithic flint mines in the foreground

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Sep 10, 2007
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Articles

Folklore

Harrow Hill
Ancient Mine / Quarry
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Jul 6, 2005
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The composer John Ireland was much influenced by the English landscape. He lived in sight of Chanctonbury Ring, and it was there and at Harrow Hill that Ireland found the inspiration for 'Legend for Piano and Orchestra'.

On one occasion John Ireland arose early, cut some sandwiches and chose Harrow Hill as the place for his picnic. Just as he was about to start eating, he noticed some children dancing around him in archaic clothing -very quiet, very silent, He was a little put out about having his peace invaded by children; he looked away for a moment, when he looked back they had disappeared. The incident made such an impression on him that he wrote about his experience to Arnold Machen whose books had greatly influenced much of his music. The reply he received was a postcard with the laconic message "So, you've seen them too!"
Children – or fairies, eh?

Taken from the article by Iain Lace, quoting Norah Kirby at musicweb-international.com/ireland/lace.htm

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Miscellaneous

Harrow Hill
Ancient Mine / Quarry
pure joy
pure joy Mar 21, 2003
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On the top of the hill is a small prehistoric fort, together with around 160 depressions which were Neolithic flint mines; here, the locals believed, was the last home in England of the fairies, who left when the mines were excavated early this century (see Rhiannon's post above). Interestingly, in the tunnels the excavators found soot from the miners’ lamps on the walls and roofs, and scratch marks which may have been records of the amounts of flint they had removed. This all dates back 4-6,000 years.

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Miscellaneous

Harrow Hill
Ancient Mine / Quarry
B
bryony Feb 15, 2003
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According to "The Place names of Sussex" by Julian Glover, Harrow derives from OE- haerg- a heathen place of worship. Excavation on a small Iron Age enclosure at the top of the hill revealed a number of Ox skulls. Probably the Autumn slaughter for the Winter took place here, with the heads left as offerings at the shrine.

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Sites within 20km of Harrow Hill

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