Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 10, 2026

Harting Downs

Harting Downs is a 336.3-hectare (831-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Midhurst in West Sussex. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I and an area of 206.6 hectares is a Local Nature Reserve which is owned and managed by the National Trust.

Last revised
Jul 10, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
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Citations
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Source
Harting Downs
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Map
Location of Harting Downs.
Area of searchWest Sussex
Grid referenceSU 800 1791
InterestBiological
Area336.3 hectares (831 acres)1
Notification date19871
Location mapMagic Map

Harting Downs is a 336.3-hectare (831-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Midhurst in West Sussex.12 It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I3 and an area of 206.6 hectares (511 acres) is a Local Nature Reserve which is owned and managed by the National Trust.456

This site consists of several parallel valleys on the steep slope of the South Downs. Habitats are chalk grassland, which is being invaded by scrub, together with areas of long-established woodland. The site is important for insects, with a nationally rare snail, Helicondonta obvoluta, two uncommon moths, the wood tiger and the maple prominent, and many rove beetles.7

References

References

  1. "Designated Sites View: Harting Downs". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  2. "Map of Harting Downs". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  3. Ratcliffe, Derek, ed. (1977). A Nature Conservation Review. Vol. 2. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 118. ISBN 0521-21403-3.
  4. "Harting Down". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  5. "Map of Harting Down". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  6. "Harting Down". National Trust. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  7. "Harting Downs citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 30 April 2019.

50°57′18″N 0°51′43″W / 50.955°N 0.862°W / 50.955; -0.862