# Harrison's Rocks

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Harrison's_Rocks
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Harrison's_Rocks.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison's_Rocks
> Source revision: 1292897012
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Sandstone crag in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
thumbnail|upright|Aerial view of Harrison's Rocks

'''Harrison's Rocks''' is a series of [sandstone](/source/sandstone) crags approximately {{convert|1.5|km|0}} south of the village of [Groombridge](/source/Groombridge) in the county of [East Sussex](/source/East_Sussex). The site is a notable example of a [periglacial](/source/periglacial) [tor](/source/Tor_(rock_formation)) landform developed in rocks of the Ardingly Sandstone Member of the [Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation](/source/Tunbridge_Wells_Sand_Formation). It is popular with [rock climbers](/source/climbing), and is the largest of the cluster of local outcrops known by climbers as [Southern Sandstone](/source/Southern_Sandstone).

Harrison's Rocks is owned by climbers and is managed on their behalf by the [British Mountaineering Council](/source/British_Mountaineering_Council) with funding from the [English Sports Council](/source/English_Sports_Council).

== Geology ==

Harrison's Rocks are a notable example of a [periglacial](/source/periglacial) [tor](/source/Tor_(rock_formation)) landform, developed in rocks of the [Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation](/source/Tunbridge_Wells_Sand_Formation) of the [Wealden Supergroup](/source/Wealden_Supergroup) of early [Cretaceous](/source/Cretaceous) age. Harrison's Rocks is composed of a soft [sandstone](/source/sandstone), which is prone to being worn away.

== Climbing ==

Harrison's Rocks has been owned by the [British Mountaineering Council](/source/British_Mountaineering_Council) since 2009, and is managed by a local group of volunteers known as the Harrison's Rocks Management Group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://community.thebmc.co.uk/Group.aspx?id=53|title=Harrison's Rocks Management Group|date=2013|publisher=British Mountaineering Council|accessdate=31 July 2013}}</ref>

There are approximately four hundred short climbs at Harrison's Rocks, ranging widely in difficulty. Climbing is exclusively protected by means of a "[top rope](/source/Top_roping)".  This is the same as at all Southern Sandstone outcrops.  Lead-climbing is prohibited for two main reasons.  Firstly, it is dangerous because the rock is too friable; any gear placed in the sandstone cracks would easily rip out in the event of a leader fall.  Lead-climbing is also discouraged for reasons of conservation - it is unacceptable for climbers to risk further damage to the thin rock crust on the surface of the crags.  Unconsolidated and friable sand lies beneath this crust.  Deep rope-grooves can be seen in places at Harrison's Rocks and are testament to the fragility of the rock. 

All of the climbs are quite short, with the highest at approximately {{convert|30|ft|0}} and the lowest at {{convert|15|ft|0}}. Most climbs have a ring drilled and set into the rock at the top for setting up a top rope, but some rely on the use of tree trunks for protection.{{cn|date=July 2013}}

==Filming==

In 1981, ''[Doctor Who](/source/Doctor_Who)'' was filmed at Harrison's Rocks. It was [Peter Davison](/source/Peter_Davison)'s first transmitted story, ''[''Castrovalva'' (''Doctor Who'')](/source/Castrovalva_(Doctor_Who))''.<ref>BBC DVD</ref>

In June 1968, the earlier episode ''[The Mind Robber](/source/The_Mind_Robber)'' starting [Patrick Troughton](/source/Patrick_Troughton) was filmed here.<ref>{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Braxton|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2009-08-07/the-mind-robber|title=Doctor Who: The Mind Robber|work=[Radio Times](/source/Radio_Times)|date=7 August 2009|access-date=9 August 2012}}</ref>

==Campsite==
A campsite was set up at Harrison's Rocks as a memorial to Julie Tullis, a former club member, who died on [K2](/source/K2) in August 1986 after reaching the summit with [Kurt Diemberger](/source/Kurt_Diemberger). The campground is owned and looked after by the [Forestry Commission](/source/Forestry_Commission).

==See also==
[Geology of East Sussex](/source/Geology_of_East_Sussex)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category inline|Harrison's Rocks, East Sussex}}

{{coord|51.098344|N|0.186580|E|display=title|type:landmark_region:GB}}

Category:Sport in East Sussex
Category:Climbing areas of England
Category:Withyham

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Harrison's Rocks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison's_Rocks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison's_Rocks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.