List of hills of West Sussex facts for kids

West Sussex is a beautiful county in southeast England, known for its rolling hills. These hills are not just pretty to look at; many of them are important places for history, archaeology, and nature. They are also popular spots for hiking and exploring! This article lists some of the notable hills you can find in West Sussex.

Understanding Hills: Height and Prominence

When we talk about hills, we often think about their height. But there's another important measurement called "prominence."

What is Prominence?

Prominence measures how much a hill rises from the land around it. Imagine a hill standing alone on a flat plain; it would have high prominence. Now imagine a small bump on the side of a huge mountain; that bump would have low prominence. Hills with high prominence often offer amazing views because they stand out so much!

Hill Classifications

Hills are often grouped into different types based on their prominence. In West Sussex, you'll find three main types:

• Marilyns: These are hills that rise at least 150 metres (about 500 feet) from the surrounding land. They are usually quite noticeable and often have great views.
• HuMPs: This stands for "Hundred Metre Prominence." These hills rise at least 100 metres but less than 150 metres. They are still significant hills.
• TuMPs: These hills rise at least 30 metres but less than 100 metres. The word "TuMP" comes from "Thirty Metre Prominence."

These classifications help people understand how important or noticeable a hill is.

Hills of West Sussex

Here is a list of some of the hills in West Sussex. You can see their height, how much they stand out (prominence), and what type of hill they are.

Hill	Height (metres)	Prominence (metres)	Grid Reference	Class	Parent Hill	Region	Remarks	Image
Black Down	280	191	SU919296	Marilyn, HuMP, TuMP	Beacon Batch	Greensand Ridge	This is the highest point in West Sussex. The very top is in trees, a bit north of the trig point.	Black Down
Littleton Down	254.9	149.2	SU941149	HuMP, TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs	This is the second highest point in West Sussex. The top is covered in trees.	Littleton Down
Linch Down	248	111	SU848173	HuMP, TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs	This is the third highest point in West Sussex. The top is just east of the trig point.	Linch Down
Glatting Beacon	245	98	SU965131	TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs	The trig point is right at the top of this hill.	Glatting Beacon
Beacon Hill	242	95	SU965131	TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs	There is an ancient burial mound (tumulus) at the top.	Beacon Hill
Chanctonbury Ring (Chanctonbury Hill)	240	217	TQ138120	Marilyn, HuMP, TuMP	Leith Hill	South Downs	The very top is on the western edge of the famous Chanctonbury Ring.	Chanctonbury Ring
Harting Downs	229	68	SU794183	TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs	This hill has a grassy top.	Harting Downs
Devil's Dyke	217	114	SU794183	HuMP, TuMP	Ditchling Beacon	South Downs	The top is very close to the trig point.	Devil's Dyke
Marley Heights	216	53	SU890302	TuMP	Black Down, Sussex	South Downs	You can find a beech tree on the top, east of the farm.	Marley Heights
Truleigh Hill	216	67	TQ225108 (est.)	TuMP	Ditchling Beacon	South Downs		Truleigh Hill
West Harting Down	216	80	SU762187	TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs		West Harting Down
Kithurst Down	213	111	SU762187	HuMP, TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs	The top is flat and without special features, about 5 metres south of the trig point.	Kithurst Down
Farm Hill	212	63	SU961145	TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs	The top of this hill is a crop field.
Hatch Farm Hill	211	43	SU898298 (est.)	TuMP	Black Down	South Downs
West Hill	211	89	TQ279117	TuMP	Ditchling Beacon	South Downs	There are no special features at the top.	West Hill
Barlavington Down	208	55	SU961155	TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs	The top is a field where crops are grown, with no special features.	Barlavington Down
Telegraph Hill, Sussex	207	130	SU870264	HuMP, TuMP	Black Down	South Downs	The top is about 5 metres northwest of a small house.	Telegraph Hill
Bow Hill	206	74	SU824112 (est.)	TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs		Bow Hill
St Roche's Hill	206	57	SU877110 (est.)	TuMP	Butser Hill	South Downs		St Roche's Hill
Wolstonbury Hill	206	66	TQ283138 (est.)	TuMP	Ditchling Beacon	South Downs		Wolstonbury Hill
Bedham Hill	155	122	TQ014221	HuMP, TuMP	Black Down	South Downs	The top is flat and has no special features, partly covered by trees.	Bedham Hill
Thorney Island	6	6	SU765019 (est.)	"Significant Island of Britain"	None		There might be another possible top near the church.	Thorney Island

See also

• List of mountains and hills of the United Kingdom
• List of Marilyns in England