Firle Beacon facts for kids

Looking north-west from the escarpment at Firle Beacon

Firle Beacon is a hill in the South Downs of southern England. It is 217 metres high and is a Marilyn. It commands a far-reaching view. When the prevailing wind is northerly, the site is often used for gliding activities like slope soaring.

Barrows

In the area of Firle Beacon is a Neolithic long barrow and several round barrows. Round barrows generally date from the early Bronze Age.

At Firle Beacon itself is a bowl barrow, about 60 feet (18 m) in diameter and 3.5 feet (1.1 m) high. It was opened in 1820; finds included two cremation urns.

The long barrow near Firle Beacon

The long barrow, 220m west of Firle Beacon , is about 112 feet (34 m) long, 70 feet (21 m) wide and 8.5 feet (2.6 m) high. It has an east–west orientation, and has a surrounding ditch, more noticeable on the northern side.

There are other round barrows within a kilometre of Firle Beacon, to the west and east.

Firle Corn

50°49′59″N 0°06′00″E / 50.833°N 0.100°E / 50.833; 0.100

Firle Corn, high on the north-east slope of Firle Beacon, is a nearly lost hill figure, possibly gigantotomy, seen using infrared photography. It looks like a small ear of corn, but what it depicts is unknown. Legend suggests a giant called Gill was cut on this hill and considered an adversary of the nearby Long Man of Wilmington; one story says the Firle Beacon giant threw his hammer at the Wilmington giant and killed him, and the hill figure marks this site.