The Long Man of Wilmington: the back story

About The Long Man of Wilmington: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Brighton Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

The Long Man of Wilmington is a giant figure outlined on the steep north face of the South Downs above the village of Wilmington, near Alfriston. The Duke of Devonshire gave it to the Sussex Archaeological Society in 1925, and the Society, Sussex Past, has cared for the scheduled monument ever since; it is free for everyone to visit.

Few sights in Sussex are as haunting as the Long Man: a tall, plain outline on the green flank of the Downs, a staff in each hand, looking out over the Cuckmere valley.

A mystery on the hill

Nobody knows for certain who made him, or when. He has existed since at least 1710, when the surveyor John Rowley drew him. Some see a likeness to a figure on Roman coins of the 4th century AD; others believe he was made by a monk from the nearby priory between the 11th and 15th centuries.

Check opening times and trains on the official sites before you travel.

Bricks, concrete and wartime green

For centuries the figure showed only faintly in the turf, until the 19th century, when he was marked out in yellow bricks. A restoration in 1969 replaced the bricks with concrete blocks, which are now painted regularly. During the Second World War he was painted green, so that enemy aircrews could not use him as a landmark.

Visiting

There is a public car park, with a height limit, just south of Wilmington Priory (the priory is not open to the public). Public footpaths lead to the foot and the top of the figure; they are probably not suitable for wheelchairs. Combine the walk with Alfriston, a short drive or Downs walk away.

Our advice: come in the late afternoon, when the low sun picks out the outline on the hill.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Long Man of Wilmington: the back story before you go.