Piltdown: Piltdown Man, a Monument and Golf History

Piltdown brings together a range of different topics. The story of the Piltdown Man discovery includes scientific investigations and a monolith monument; golf and Piltdown Pond offer a different perspective. You can tailor your stay to the subject that interests you most.

Piltdown Man: discovery and scientific assessment

Piltdown Man became known through Pleistocene gravel deposits near the village of Piltdown in Sussex, England. A fluorine test found that the fossils were only about 50,000 years old. Further investigations assigned the skull and jaw fragments to two different species: a human and a presumably orangutan-like ape. The findings relate to different questions: the age of the fossils and the origin of the fragments. The story can therefore be understood both through the context of the discovery and through the subsequent scientific examination.

The fossils were also boiled and stained to match the colour and age of the Piltdown gravel deposits. This step adds a specific detail about the history of the hoax to the scientific assessment.

A monolith monument on the grounds of Barkham Manor in Piltdown marks the spot where Charles Dawson found the fossil skull of Piltdown Man. The suspected Piltdown II discovery site is a different location: it was thought to be at Netherhall Farm, between Sheffield Park and Fletching, approximately two kilometres northwest of Barkham Manor. Its exact location was not fully disclosed at the time. The monument and the suspected discovery site are therefore two distinct geographical points of reference in the story.

Golf history in Piltdown

The Piltdown Golf Club House dates from the 17th century and is a Grade II listed building. The Piltdown Golf Club course was laid out in 1904 on an area of old heathland in Sussex. The club has a challenging, heathland-fringed 18-hole course. The house and the course offer different historical points of reference: the house dates back to the 17th century, while the course was established in 1904.

Piltdown Pond and visitor information

Piltdown Pond offers a scenic contrast to the themes of buildings, golf and the discovery story. It is home to a variety of birds and aquatic life; a leisurely walk lets you enjoy the waterside surroundings. The pond also provides a picturesque setting for photography. A walk around the pond is therefore a different way to explore the area than learning about the history of Piltdown Man.

The Piltdown Man also engages with the story of Piltdown Man: visitors can read about the Piltdown Man hoax on the bookshelves; this offering may change. The address is Goldbridge Road (A272), Piltdown, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 3XL. If the books are an important reason for your visit, check in advance whether they are still available to read.

Discover more destinations: Cross in Hand, Brighton, Iden, Crowhurst, Newick, Saint Leonards-On-Sea, Pevensey Bay, Heathfield.

For the overview of the wider area: East Sussex.