[1] The eldest son of William Hillier, commander R.N., he was born at Kennington, and was educated at Place Street House, near Ryde, Isle of Wight.
[1] In this "Hillier affair", the evidence points to Hillier's having obtained access to Madden through his assistant Richard Sims, with genuine manuscripts from Mostyn Hall and Bridgewater House, Runcorn to sell, as Madden's investigation with John Payne Collier (much later shown to be a forger) quickly concluded.
[4] The discovery of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Chessell Down in the Isle of Wight, and the excavation of the graves, was Hillier's significant contribution to archæology.
[2] Hillier's works included:[2] A long-term project, a History and Antiquities of the Isle of Wight, was left incomplete.
Hillier was also employed in illustrating Charles Warne's Dorsetshire, and travelled with the author to prepare the map.