Thousands visit Highdown Hill for Worthing Museum’s Big Dig

More than 4,000 people visited Highdown Hill during Worthing Museum’s two-week Big Dig, revealing significant new archaeological finds and drawing widespread public interest.

The excavation, the first at the Ferring site in nearly 40 years, uncovered a complete skeleton believed to be of a young Romano-Briton woman dating to the 2nd Century. While no grave goods were found, project lead James Sainsbury believes it could indicate the presence of a previously unknown cemetery. The site also yielded Roman coins and enamelled brooches, with some discoveries challenging existing historical assumptions.

Daily tours and a special open day with living history demonstrations from Weorod attracted large crowds. Volunteers, including members of Worthing Archaeological Society and a contributor from UCL creating 3D models and drone footage, supported the project. Worthing Museum plans to share the full findings in a major exhibition and national conference next year entitled The Story of Highdown Hill.