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Belle Tout

East Sussex, England · Atlas EN3750

Belle Tout is a promontory fort in East Dean and Friston, East Sussex, England.

It is recorded as extant, with a partial univallate rampart form, surface evidence of earthen bank and counterscarp bank, and an enclosed area of 20 hectares.

Banks or ramparts are the remains most likely to be visible.

The topographic record places it on a coastal promontory and a cliff, plateau edge, or scarp and at 76 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes pasture and built-up land.

Dating evidence is recorded for before 1200 BC and 1200–800 BC (Artefactual). Reliability is recorded as B - Medium.

A scheduled monument number is recorded (1002288).

Location

Atlas number
EN3750 (3750)
Country
England
Current county or unitary authority
East Sussex
Historic county
Sussex
Parish, community, or townland
East Dean and Friston
National Grid reference
TV56019561
Latitude
50.73969
Longitude
0.20968
Altitude
76 m

Form and condition

Type
promontory fort
Condition
Extant
Morphology
partial univallate
Complete rampart circuit
No
Number of ramparts
1
Ramparts by quadrant
NE 1, SE 0, SW 0, NW 1
Number of ditches
1
Possible original entrances
0
Breaks through the ramparts
0
Enclosed area
20 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank and counterscarp bank
Enclosing works, excavated
earthen bank
Also recorded
ditches

Landscape

Topographic position
coastal promontory and cliff, plateau edge, or scarp
Aspect
level
Land use
pasture and built-up land

Dating

Dating
before 1200 BC and 1200–800 BC
Dating evidence
Artefactual
Dating reliability
B - Medium

Interior and investigation

Interior excavation
pits, postholes, and roundhouses
Finds
pottery and lithics
Investigations
Other (1867); 1st Identified Map Depiction (1875); Excavation (1909); Excavation (1975); Excavation (1995); Earthwork Survey (1996); LiDAR Survey (2008); Excavation (1968-1969); Excavation (1979-1980); 1st Identified Written Reference (1801-1900); Earthwo

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
1002288
HER
East Sussex MES3054
National record
record TV 59 NE 56; monument 47004
Wikidata
Q31117829

Sources

References

  1. Bedwin, O. 1982a Excavations at Belle Tout, Eastbourne 1979-1980, In ed P. Drewett, The Archaeology of Bullock Down, Eastbourne: The Development of a Landscape. Sussex Archaeol Collect. Monograph 1,90-95.
  2. Bradley, R. 1970. The Excavation of a Beaker Settlement at Belle Tout, East Sussex. PPS, 36, 312-379.
  3. Bradley, R. 1971 An Iron Age Promontory Fort at Belle Tout. Sussex Archaeol Collect. 109, 8-19.
  4. Bradley, R. 1982 Belle Tout - Revision and Reassessment. In ed P. Drewett,The Archaeology of Bullock Down, Eastbourne: The Development of a Landscape. Sussex Archaeol Collect. Monograph 1, 62-71.
  5. Brown, I. 2009. Beacons in the landscape. The hillforts of England and Wales, Oxford: Windgather Press/Oxbow Books.
  6. Drewett, P. 1975. A Section Through the Iron Age Promontory Fort at Belle Tout, Sussex Archaeol Collect. 113, 184-6.
  7. Drewett, P. 1979. A Section Through the Pre-Roman Iron Age Enclosure at Belle Tout, Bull Inst Archaeol London, 16, 41.
  8. Holgate, R. 1986 Prehistoric Sites Threatened by Coastal Erosion Between Seaford Head and Beachy Head, East
  9. Sussex, Sussex Archaeol Collect.124, 243-4.
  10. Lane-Fox, A. 1869. An Examination into the Character and Probable Origin of the Hill Forts of Sussex, Arch, 42, 27-52.
  11. Russell, M. 1996. Belle Tout, Unpublished Excavation Report, Bournemouth University.
  12. Stevens, L. 1979. A Chalk Cut Shaft at Belle Tout, Eastdean, SAC,117, 260.
  13. Stevens, L. 1986 Belle Tout - A Third Excavation? Sussex Archaeological Newsletter 49, 494.
  14. Thomas, K. 1982 A Note on the Environmental and Chronological Implications of the Molluscs from the Enclosure at Belle Tout, In ed P. Drewett, The Archaeology of Bullock Down, Eastbourne: The Development of a Landscape. Sussex Archaeol Collect. Monograph 1,14-5.