<< Other Photo Pages >> Lancing Down Romano-Celtic Temple - Ancient Temple in England in West Sussex
Submitted by Anne T on Friday, 05 June 2026 Page Views: 71
Roman, Greek and ClassicalSite Name: Lancing Down Romano-Celtic Temple Alternative Name: Lancing Ring Shrine and TempleCountry: England County: West Sussex Type: Ancient Temple
Nearest Town: Lancing
Map Ref: TQ17850670
Latitude: 50.847827N Longitude: 0.327338W
Condition:
| 5 | Perfect |
| 4 | Almost Perfect |
| 3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
| 2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
| 1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
| 0 | No data. |
| -1 | Completely destroyed |
| 5 | Superb |
| 4 | Good |
| 3 | Ordinary |
| 2 | Not Good |
| 1 | Awful |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
| 4 | Short walk on a footpath |
| 3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
| 2 | A long walk |
| 1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
| 0 | No data. |
| 5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
| 4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
| 3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
| 2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
| 1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
| 0 | no data |
Internal Links:
External Links:
Details of Site:
The remains of a late Iron Age shrine, and a succeeding Romano-Celtic temple, are located on the South Downs just west of Lancing Ring Nature Reserve, above the coastal town of Lancing in West Sussex. The site was first discovered in 1828 and further excavated in 1980.
The Iron Age shrine dates from approximately 700 BCE to 43 CE. The later Romano-British temple was built in the 1st century CE within an oval temenos (sacred enclosure). It comprised a 40-foot square pavement with a central room 16 feet square, its walls built of flint, plastered and painted red. The classic concentric plan - a central cella (inner room of the temple) within a larger ambulatory - is typical of Romano-Celtic temples found across southern Britain and northern Gaul.
The Glaucus website (see references below for link) adds: "When a Romano Celtic Temple was discovered in 1828 north of Lancing Ring the site was found to comprise a small late Iron Age shrine (c.700 BC - AD 43). Similar finds in Southern England have been inside late Iron Age forts. From artefacts and coins found on the Roman Celtic site the temple was probably in use during the first half of the Roman occupation. It comprised a 40 foot square pavement with a room 16 foot square in the centre, with walls of flint, plastered and painted red. Around the site were several graves .... The track alongside Lancing Ring may be of Neolithic origin - circa 4,000 - 2,000 BC - a branch of the ridgeway from Beachy Head to Cissbury/Chanctonbury Ring and westward through Hampshire to Salisbury Plain."
Wikipedia also adds: "Archaeological research at Lancing Ring has identified it as the likely site of an Iron Age shrine and Romano-Celtic temple. The Romano-Celtic temple site has been identified as the large sloping field above the recycling centre and children's play area at the top of Halewick Lane; this land is now used for agricultural purposes. An Anglo-Saxon burial ground has also been identified to the east of Lancing Ring, towards Hoe Court."
The site sits on the chalk downland above Lancing, with views south to the coast and the English Channel. It is now within the Lancing Ring nature reserve, a popular walking area managed for its chalk grassland flora. Nothing is visible above ground, although the site is accessible to the public.
Location of finds:
Artefacts may be at the British Museum, Worthing Museum or in private hands following the 1828 and 1980 excavations. At the time of submission, I have emailed Worthing Museum to find out where the finds are, and will update this site page when I hear.
References:
Archaeology Data Service, "EXCAVATIONS AT LANCING DOWN, WEST SUSSEX 1980";
Worthing Archaeology Society Journal, Volume 5, number 4, "The Romano Celtic Temple on Lancing Down"; and
Glaucus, "Lancing Ring - A Brief History";
Wikipedia, "Lancing Ring".
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