124-431: Withdean is a former village, now part of Brighton and Hove , East Sussex. The area was originally named in the 12th century, when it was called Wictedene. The area was historically farm land but has been developed, mainly in the 1920s and 1930s, with a mix of detached, semi-detached and mid-rise flats. The Withdean manor was originally the property of the great Cluniac Priory of St. Pancras at Lewes , until 1537. This
248-796: A Lib Dem-Independent coalition ( Mid Sussex ) one was run by an Independent-Labour-Lib Dem-Green coalition ( Rother ) and one had a Lib Dem-Green coalition ( Wealden ). Conservative Katy Bourne is the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner , having first been elected in 2012. In the 2016 referendum on UK membership of the EU , the people of Sussex voted to leave the EU by the narrowest of margins, by 50.23% to 49.77% or 4,413 votes. Headquartered in Lewes, Home Office policing in Sussex has been provided by Sussex Police since 1968. The first-tier Crown Court for all of Sussex
372-449: A Sussex gentry family that gave their name to the present parish of Poynings . Hangeton was a medieval downland village in the 13th century, and by the early 14th century it had a population of about 200. Later, the village was abandoned for around six hundred years. It started to grow again in the 1950s with other areas of Brighton and is now popular for its views of the sea and green spaces. Between Hangleton and Westdene , south of
496-411: A campaign into Kent , replacing its king. At this time Sussex could have re-emerged into a regional power. Shortly afterwards, Cædwalla returned to Sussex, killing its king and oppressing its people, putting them in what Bede called "a worse state of slavery". The South Saxon clergy were put under the control of West Saxon Winchester . Only around 715 was Eadberht of Selsey made the first bishop of
620-550: A flowery bank on its western slope ( TQ 286 091 ), a bushy lynchet and an old dewpond site on its brow. The Sussex Border Path takes you north to Pangdean Bottom and the Pyecombe parish. Pangdean Bottom is the west of the A23 and is rented by a tenant farmer from Brighton and Hove City Council , who have owned it since 1924. It includes ancient chalk grassland slopes where there are still chalkland flowers and butterflies. In late summer,
744-445: A higher profile as the country's most popular seaside resort , a significant digital economy, and hosts several festivals of national prominence. Recognition of the city's twin identities is evident from the continued popularity of the local saying "Hove, actually" , a phrase which long predates unification. Some organisations such as the local football club, Brighton and Hove Albion , and the bus company Brighton & Hove , predate
868-405: A landmark church and a former convent. Mile Oak is a newer development. Until the 1920s it was only a small group of farm buildings with surrounding corn fields, sheep downs and market gardens. Then, suburban housing started to be built, and there was considerable further development in the 1960s with the construction of bungalows and other private housing. In the 1990s, after the construction of
992-535: A layer of superficial acidity, with sorrel , bent-grass , and tormentil growing there. To the south is Hollingbury Golf Course, the Roedale allotments and Hollingbury Park ( TQ 314 075 ). The park was originally part of the golf course. Its Edwardian pavilion was the original (circa 1908) clubhouse. East of the Park is the two-century-old Hollingbury Woods , now full of the rotting carcasses of beech giants toppled in
1116-549: A lesser scale, with several people being executed for their Catholic beliefs. In Elizabeth's reign, Sussex was open to the older Protestant forms practised in the Weald as well as the newer Protestant forms coming from Continental Europe; combined with a significant Catholic presence, Sussex was in many ways out of step with the rest of southern England. Sussex escaped the worst ravages of the English Civil War , although control of
1240-520: A merger with Worthing and Adur. A report following consultation noted that more than 25% of respondents in both Brighton and Hove had "unprompted, indicated support for a merger of those two areas." Although this option had not been included in the draft proposals, subsequent polling indicated that the merger was the most popular option among residents. Nevertheless, the proposal of a merger proved controversial, particularly in Hove. Hove Borough Council opposed
1364-529: A turn for the worse with an increasing amount of them becoming unemployed, those in work faced their wages being forced down. Conditions became so bad that it was even reported to the House of Lords in 1830 that four harvest labourers (seasonal workers) had been found dead of starvation. The deteriorating conditions of work for the agricultural labourer eventually triggered riots, first in neighbouring Kent, and then in Sussex, where they lasted for several weeks, although
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#17328519769151488-614: A wooden castle at Hastings , from which they raided the surrounding area. The battle was fought between Duke William of Normandy and the English king, Harold Godwinson , who had strong connections with Sussex and whose chief seat was probably in Bosham . After having marched his exhausted army 250 miles (400 km) from Yorkshire, Harold fought the Normans at the Battle of Hastings, where England's army
1612-421: Is Ladies Mile Down ( TQ 318 093 ), which has designated as a Local nature reserve . The area is a remarkable survival of plateau chalk grassland on Downland, where almost all such flattish sites have been destroyed by modern farming. The ancient turf has preserved lots of odd linear banks, which are surviving fragments of an Iron Age and Romano-British lynchetted field system. The banks once stretched across
1736-436: Is Lewes Crown Court , which has courts in Lewes, Brighton and Hove. Like other first-tier Crown Courts it has its own resident High Court Judge . There is also a third-tier Crown Court at Chichester. The local prison in Sussex for men is Lewes Prison and there is also a Category D prison at Ford . A rape is a traditional territorial sub-division of Sussex, formerly used for various administrative purposes. Their origin
1860-488: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Brighton and Hove Brighton and Hove ( / ˈ b r aɪ t ən ... ˈ h oʊ v / BRY -tən … HOHV ) is a city and unitary authority area, ceremonially in East Sussex , England. There are multiple villages alongside the seaside resorts of Brighton and Hove in the district. It is administered by Brighton and Hove City Council , which
1984-718: Is a lot of history on the slopes, including a large 4000 year old Bronze Age settlement, a possible 'henge' (as in Stonehenge ), now lost under the A27 bypass, and evidence of Iron Age and Romano-British field systems. To the north of the city boundary is Fulking parish. The final stretch of the Monarch's Way passes through Mile Oak and Porstlade. It is a 625-mile (1,006 km) long-distance footpath that runs from Worcester to Shoreham . Aldrington sits between Portslade-by-Sea to its west and Hove to its east. For centuries Aldrington
2108-542: Is an area within South East England which was historically a kingdom and, later, a county . It includes the ceremonial counties of East Sussex and West Sussex . The area borders the English Channel to the south, and the ceremonial counties of Surrey to the north, Kent to the north-east, and Hampshire to the west. Sussex contains the city of Brighton and Hove and its wider city region , as well as
2232-510: Is based on the heraldic shield of Sussex . The first-known recording of this emblem being used to represent the county was in 1611 when cartographer John Speed deployed it to represent the Kingdom of the South Saxons . However, it seems that Speed was repeating an earlier association between the emblem and the county, rather than being the inventor of the association. It is now firmly regarded that
2356-526: Is currently under Labour majority control. The two resorts, along with Worthing and Littlehampton in West Sussex, make up the second most-populous built-up area of South East England , after South Hampshire . In 2014, Brighton and Hove City Council and other nearby councils formed the Greater Brighton City Region local enterprise partnership area. In 1992, a government commission
2480-500: Is famous for its glowworm displays on midsummer evenings. On the steep east side of the hill there is large thyme , autumn gentian and many butterflies. Bee orchids can be also found in some years. To the north of this area is the Poynings parish and the impressive geography of Devil's Dyke . To the east is Round Hill where there are many signs of the past from different periods of human history. There are several old barrows in
2604-533: Is now known for its windmill and secondary school. To the east of West Blatchington is Westdene . Hangleton is to the north of Aldrington and sits between Portslade Village and West Blatchington. The manors of Hangleton and Aldrington formed part of the Fishersgate Half Hundred , together with the neighbouring manor of Portslade. The lords of the Hangleton manor from 1291 to 1446 were the de Poynings,
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#17328519769152728-562: Is one of the commonest flowers here, with some of its associated fungi. The west facing slopes of Varncombe Hill ( TQ 279 105 ) were sold by Brighton Council with the rest of Saddlescombe Farm to the National Trust , but the Trust did not dedicate them as Access land , though they qualified and the National Trust had the power to do so. To the east of Waterhall is Sweet Hill . The Hill has
2852-552: Is probably the reason why Stanmer is so called, as "stan mere" is likely to derive from the Saxon "stony pool". Between the church and the barn is a Tudor well 252 feet deep and a wooden donkey wheel, like that at Saddlescombe, contained within a flint well-house. The well was in use until mains water was installed in 1900. Sussex Sussex ( /ˈsʌsɪks/ ; from the Old English Sūþseaxe ; lit. ' South Saxons '; 'Sussex')
2976-592: Is quite different in character. Portslade-by-Sea is largely an industrial port, with a busy canal area that opens up to the River Adur and the English Channel . It has a long history of human settlement and the name came from the Roman port, Novus Portus. Portslade Village has kept more of its antiquity and retains many elements of the downland village it once was. Many of the buildings have their original flint walls, and there are some early manor house ruins, tree-lined parks,
3100-505: Is recorded as Sudsexe . Three United States counties (in Delaware , New Jersey and Virginia ), and a former county/land division of Western Australia , are named after Sussex. The flag of Sussex consists of six gold martlets , or heraldic swallows , on a blue background, blazoned as Azure , six martlets or . Recognised by the Flag Institute on 20 May 2011, its design
3224-486: Is still good for butterflies. In spring one may still see the green hairstreak or orange-tip or find the wacky small bloody-nosed beetle and there are still adonis , chalkhill and common blues and brown argus and glowworms in midsummer. There are also orchids, harebells , sheets of rockrose , Sussex rampion , devil's-bit , and carline thistle . In autumn there are fungi too, including penny-bun bolete , collared earthstar , stinkhorn , and shaggy inkcap in
3348-667: Is the highest point in East Sussex. At 113 kilometres (70 miles) long, the River Medway is the longest river flowing through Sussex. The longest river entirely in Sussex is the River Arun , which is 60 kilometres (37 mi) long. Sussex's largest lakes are man-made reservoirs. The largest is Bewl Water on the Kent border, while the largest wholly within Sussex is Ardingly Reservoir . The coastal resorts of Sussex and neighbouring Hampshire are
3472-578: Is the home of several woodland birds including the great spotted woodpecker , tawny owl and goldcrest . Withdean Park is also located in this area, and is home to the national collection of lilacs with over 320 varieties. Collections of berberis , cotoneaster and viburnum can also be found here. Withdean is referenced in the chapter "The Wiseman of Withdean" of the fantasy novel The Brightonomicon . 50°51′02″N 00°09′07″W / 50.85056°N 0.15194°W / 50.85056; -0.15194 This East Sussex location article
3596-507: Is to the east of the London Road, and is home to the national collection of lilacs with over 250 varieties. Collections of berberis , cotoneaster and viburnum can also be found here. Withdean Woods is next to Withdean stadium and is a wooded hillside nature reserve approximately 2.47 acres (1 ha) in size. It is the home of several woodland birds including the great spotted woodpecker , tawny owl , goldcrest , firecrest, and in winter
3720-600: Is unknown, but they appear to predate the Norman Conquest Each rape was split into several hundreds and may be Romano-British or Anglo-Saxon in origin. At the time of the Norman Conquest, there were four rapes: Arundel, Lewes, Pevensey and Hastings. The rape of Bramber was created later in the 11th century and the rape of Chichester was created in the 13th century. Local government in Sussex has been subject to periodic review over time . Currently, Sussex
3844-675: The 1987 gale . It is a popular walk, with Fittleworth Stone walks, glades, and benches. It has received the loving care of a local "Friends" group for many years now. To the west of Moulsecoombe is Wild Park ( TQ 327 080 ). The park is a valley/coombe which runs down from Hollingbury Castle and was opened in 1925. In the 1850s the valley, then known as Hollingbury Coombe, was one of the most famous of Sussex sites for lepidopterists (butterfly and moth experts), but dark green and silver-washed fritillary and silver-spotted skipper , once present in numbers, are rarely seen there now. Despite this, there are parts which are still rich in diversity and it
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3968-494: The American Revolution . Known as 'the radical duke', Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond , was an early supporter of parliamentary reform and US independence. Richard Cobden was a product of Sussex's rural radicalism, and became a campaigner for free trade and peace. Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was another influential radical from Sussex. At the beginning of the 19th century agricultural labourers' conditions took
4092-464: The Anglo-Saxon kings and led the ill-fated campaign against King Arthur at Mount Badon . By the 7th century, South Saxon kings were ruling from sites around Selsey (the pre-Roman capital of the area) and Chichester (the Roman capital of the area) initially with similar borders to the pre-Roman kingdom and Roman canton. For much of the 7th and 8th centuries, Sussex suffered attempts at invasion from
4216-595: The Belgae , a mix of Celtic and German stock, invaded and occupied southern Britain. This was followed by an invasion by the Roman army under Julius Caesar that temporarily occupied south-eastern Britain in 55 BC. Soon after the first Roman invasion had ended, the Celtic Regni tribe under their leader Commius initially occupied the Manhood Peninsula . Eppillus , Verica and Cogidubnus followed Commius as rulers of
4340-574: The Bishop of Chichester and the Earl of Gloucester . These three were to elect a council of nine, to govern until a permanent settlement could be reached. During the Hundred Years' War , Sussex found itself on the frontline, convenient both for intended invasions and retaliatory expeditions by licensed French pirates. Hastings, Rye and Winchelsea were all burnt during this period and all three towns became part of
4464-478: The Brighton Pavilion "passed through the fire", for this was their "ghat", or place of cremation. Its white Sicilian marble dome is in good condition, but the surrounding memorial garden is often unkept. What is now considered to be Hollingbury is the slope facing west, east of Patcham and north of Fiveways . However, old Hollingbury was the crest of the hill by the hillfort , Hollingbury Park and even
4588-602: The Cinque Ports , a loose federation for supplying ships for the country's security. Also at this time, Amberley and Bodiam castles were built to defend the upper reaches of navigable rivers. One of the impacts of the war and the Black Death , which killed around half of the population of Sussex, was the perceived injustice that led many Sussex people to participate in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. Coastal areas suffered most from
4712-539: The Kingdom of England . By the Norman period , Sussex was subdivided into six administrative districts known as rapes , which were themselves divided into hundreds . By the sixteenth century, the eastern three rapes and the western three rapes had been combined for most meetings of the court of quarter sessions , a division which was reinforced when the administrative counties of East Sussex and West Sussex were established in 1889. Subsequent local government reforms maintained
4836-556: The Royal Sussex Regiment and popularised in World War I , it is sung at celebrations across the county, including those at Lewes Bonfire , and at sports matches, including those of Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club and Sussex County Cricket Club . The county day, called Sussex Day , is celebrated annually on 16 June, the feast day of St Richard of Chichester , Sussex's patron saint , whose shrine at Chichester Cathedral
4960-716: The South Downs National Park and the National Landscapes of the High Weald and Chichester Harbour . Its coastline is 137 miles (220 km) long. The Kingdom of Sussex emerged in the 5th century; during Roman Britain the area was inhabited by the Regni tribe. In about 827, shortly after the Battle of Ellendun , Sussex was conquered by Wessex . From 860 it was ruled by the kings of Wessex , and in 927 it became part of
5084-540: The UK Parliament , Sussex is represented by 17 MPs. At the 2024 general election , 6 Labour and Labour Co-op MPs, 5 Conservative MPs, 5 Lib Dem MPs and 1 Green MP were elected from Sussex constituencies. Amongst top-tier local authorities, East and West Sussex County Councils are both held by the Conservatives and Brighton and Hove City Council is led by Labour. Amongst district councils, as of June 2024,
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5208-596: The Weald were all part of changes as significant to Sussex as those brought by the neolithic period, by the Romans and the Saxons. Sussex also experienced the most radical and thorough reorganisation of land in England. The county's existing sub-divisions, known as rapes, were made into castleries and each territory was given to one of William's most trusted barons. Castles were built to defend
5332-522: The borough councils of Brighton and Hove be made a single unitary authority independent of East Sussex County Council . In 1997, Brighton and Hove Borough Council was formed, and assumed responsibility for all matters of local government across both towns. Twenty years earlier, as part of the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations, Brighton had been shortlisted as a candidate for city status , though eventually lost out to larger Derby . Following unification of
5456-423: The stinking hellebore . To the west of the A23 and north of Westdene and the A27 is Waterhall ( TQ 284 087 ), and its lost 18th century farm is now the site of football and rugby pitches. The Waterhall Golf Course has just been given over to a version of rewilding which involves the restoration of species-rich chalk grassland There is still a significant population of adders. By the bridlepath just downhill of
5580-502: The union with Scotland two members represented the county in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. The Reform Act 1832 led to the disenfranchisement of some of the smaller Sussex boroughs and divided what had been a single county constituency into eastern and western divisions, with two representatives elected for each division. The reforms of
5704-465: The 'Right to Roam' network, organised a mass trespass in protest against the lack of public access to this valley and its management for game bird shooting, which has badly affected its chalk grassland wildlife. Over 300 people walked from Waterhall, Brighton, to Pangdean Bottom in protest. The public are actively discouraged from walking in the area and scrub has been allowed to grow on the pristine downland, whilst other parts have been ploughed out. To
5828-669: The 17th century, after which it began to decline. It also brought widespread deforestation of parts of the Sussex Weald. Henry VIII 's separation of the Church of England from Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries led to the demolition of Lewes Priory and Battle Abbey and the sites being given to Henry's supporters. The shrine to St Richard at Chichester Cathedral was also destroyed. Mary I returned England to Catholicism and in Sussex 41 Protestants were burned to death . Under Elizabeth I , religious intolerance continued albeit on
5952-402: The 1920s and 1930s, with a mix of detached, semi-detached and mid-rise flats. The Withdean manor was originally the property of the great Cluniac Priory of St. Pancras at Lewes, until 1537. This was then given to Anne of Cleves in 1541 by Henry VIII . The manor was demolished in 1936. Westdene sits to the north of Brighton , east of West Blatchington and north of Withdean . Withdean Park
6076-548: The 1998 tornado causing an estimated £10 million of damage to 1,000 buildings. Most of Sussex's population is distributed in an east–west line along the English Channel coast or on the east–west line of the A272 . The exception to this pattern is the 20th-century north–south development on the A23 - Brighton line corridor , Sussex's main link to London. Sussex's population is dominated by
6200-413: The 19th century made the electoral system more representative, but it was not until 1928 that there was universal suffrage. There was a strong radical and republican tradition in Sussex from the 19th century. For most of the 20th century Sussex was a Conservative Party stronghold—from the 1906 to 1997 general elections the only seats in Sussex won by parties other than the Conservatives were in
6324-694: The A27 are two golf courses, the West Hove and Brighton and Hove Golf courses. The two are divided by the Old Dyke Railway Trail which follows part of the route taken by the old Dyke Railway Branch Line. The line opened in September 1887 and took people from Hove to the popular downland beauty spot of Devil's Dyke . When the railway closed in December 1938, the line lay unused until the Dyke Railway Trail
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#17328519769156448-462: The A27 roundabout and the eastern track takes you up Ewebottom Hiil leaving Scare Hill to its west, passing the Chattri to the east and on to Holt Hill and the Pyecombe parish. The western track takes you to Waterhall across the A23. Those walking from Patcham towards Standean farm descend the hill into Ewe Bottom and have the pleasure of the intact, old Tegdown pastures to their right, where
6572-401: The A27, is Toads Hole Valley . Its west slope, below Downland Drive, was once an unspoilt place for wildlife and still home to threatened species such as dormice , hedgehogs , and adders . The valley has been unmanaged for many years and the area has turned to scrub. It has now been designated for development and up to three hundred homes are planned to be built on the site. To the north of
6696-777: The Black Death, and took longest to recover. Instead much economic activity in Sussex was focused on the Weald. Merchants moved north from the coastal towns and many Continental craftsmen, fleeing religious persecution, brought their expertise to the timber, iron, clothmaking and glass industries. Economic and social tensions continued for many years as Sussex people were also involved in Jack Cade 's rebellion of 1450, in which Cade may have been killed at Cade Street , near Heathfield. Demands grew more radical in Sussex in 1451 when John and William Merfold advocated rule by common people. They also demanded that Henry VI be deposed and publicly incited
6820-571: The Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation that, with a population of over 470,000, is home to almost 1 in 3 of Sussex's population. According to the ONS urban area populations for continuous built-up areas, these are the five largest conurbations: The combined population of Sussex as of 2021 was about 1.7 million. In 2021, Sussex had a population density of 451 per km , higher than the average for England of 434 per km . The decline of
6944-609: The Kingdom of Wessex to its west. King Æðelwealh formed an alliance with Christian Mercia against Wessex, becoming Sussex's first Christian king. With support from St Wilfrid , Sussex became the last major Anglo Saxon kingdom to become Christian. South Saxon and Mercian forces took control of what is now east Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Cædwalla of Wessex killed Æðelwealh and "ravaged Sussex by fierce slaughter and devastation". The South Saxons forced Cædwalla from Sussex and were able to lead
7068-533: The Lib Dems had a majority in three local authorities ( Chichester , Eastbourne and Horsham ) and the Labour Party had a majority in three local authorities ( Adur , Crawley and Worthing ). Of the six local authorities in no overall control , one had a minority Green administration ( Hastings ), one was run by a Lib Dem-Labour-Green coalition ( Arun ), one was run by a Green-Labour coalition ( Lewes ), one as run by
7192-507: The Ouse and Cuckmere in a treaty. Traditionally this is thought to have been against native Britons, but it may have been to secure the area east of the Saxon Shore fort of Anderida from the influence of the Kingdom of Kent, with whom the South Saxons may have had occasional disputes. Ælle was recognised as the first ' Bretwalda ' or overlord of southern Britain. He was probably the most senior of
7316-596: The Regni or southern Atrebates, a region which included most of Sussex, with their capital in the Selsey area. A number of archaeologists now think there is a strong possibility that the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43 started around Fishbourne and Chichester Harbour rather than the traditional landing place of Richborough in Kent. According to this theory, the Romans were called to restore
7440-694: The South Downs and Stanmer Estate that ten years ago had been proposed to be a Local Nature Reserve . Bevendean is in a valley nestled between Bevendean Down and Heath Hill. Moulsecoomb is on the other side of the Lewes Road and backs on to Falmer Hill, and is home to the University of Brighton's Moulsecoomb campus and Moulsecoomb Place . North of Moulsecoomb is the Falmer train station , University of Brighton's Falmer campus, and Falmer Stadium . In this area to
7564-502: The South Saxons , after which further invasion attempts from Wessex ensued. Following a period of rule by King Offa of Mercia , Sussex regained its independence but was annexed by Wessex around 827 and was fully absorbed into the crown of Wessex in 860, which later grew into the Kingdom of England. The Battle of Hastings was fought in Sussex, the victory that led to the Norman conquest of England . In September 1066, William of Normandy landed with his forces at Pevensey and erected
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#17328519769157688-412: The Sussex Downs were the location of the Battle of Lewes , in which Simon de Montfort and his fellow barons captured Prince Edward (later Edward I ), the son and heir of Henry III . The subsequent treaty, known as the Mise of Lewes , led to Montfort summoning the first parliament in English history without any prior royal authorisation. A provisional administration was set up, consisting of Montfort,
7812-413: The Sussex ironworks probably accounts for the small increase in population during several centuries, although after the Massacre of St Bartholomew upwards of 1,500 Huguenots landed at Rye, and in 1685, after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes , many more refugees were added to the county. The population of Sussex was 550,446 in 1891 and 605,202 in 1901. Finds at Eartham Pit in Boxgrove show that
7936-440: The Wealden iron industry was strategically important to both sides. In 1642 there was a skirmish at Haywards Heath when Royalists marching towards Lewes were intercepted by local Parliamentarians . The Royalists were routed with around 200 killed or taken prisoner. Shortly after there were sieges at Chichester and Arundel , and a smaller battle at Bramber Bridge . Despite its being under Parliamentarian control, Charles II
8060-495: The area has some of the earliest hominid remains in Europe, dating back some 500,000 years and known as Boxgrove Man or Homo heidelbergensis . At a site near Pulborough called The Beedings, tools have been found that date from around 35,000 years ago and that are thought to be from either the last Neanderthals in northern Europe or pioneer populations of modern humans. The thriving population lived by hunting game such as horses, bison, mammoths and woolly rhinos . Around 6000 BC
8184-443: The area, around Selsey. Sussex was home to the magnificent Roman Palace at Fishbourne , by far the largest Roman residence known north of the Alps. The Romans built villas, especially on the coastal plain and around Chichester, one of the best preserved being that at Bignor . Christianity first came to Sussex at this time, but faded away when the Romans left in the 5th century. The nationally important Patching hoard of Roman coins that
8308-571: The area. There is an old flint barn ( TQ 269 090 ) called the Skeleton Hovel which is thought to commemorate a prehistoric burial site. Round Hill's eastern slope ( TQ 269 085 ) is the richest chalk grassland site in Hangleton, though it desperately needs grazing management for its many downland flowers such as field fleawort , chalk milkwort , orchids, cowslips, hairy violet , rockrose, crested hair-grass , and devil's bit scabious . There are two rare Forester moth species, fox moth and heath moth, purse-web spider , moss, and pygmy snails. To
8432-456: The armistice to be offered to Germany at the end of World War I were agreed at a meeting at Danny House , Hurstpierpoint . With the declaration of World War II , Sussex found itself part of the country's frontline with its airfields playing a key role in the Battle of Britain and with its towns being some of the most frequently bombed. Sussex was garrisoned by multiple British and Canadian Army units from 1940 until at least May 1942. During
8556-402: The best of this type in the county". It consists of a circular bank with a ditch and a flattish interior. It lies just south of a big dried up dew pond. From Tegdown you can see the three Iron Age camps of Hollingbury Castle , Ditchling Beacon , and the Devil's Dyke . To the north of the city boundary is the long Ditchling parish. The Mid Sussex track of the Sussex Border Path starts at
8680-412: The breadline and receiving regular relief. Socially acceptable crimes, including protest, riot, collective action and smuggling were commonplace in Sussex and were seen by many as a legitimate way to address grievances and assert freedoms. At this time, Sussex became a centre for radicalism . Thomas Paine developed his political ideas in Lewes, and later wrote Common Sense which was influential in
8804-469: The ceremonial counties of East and West Sussex in 1974. Boundaries were changed and a large part of the rape of Lewes was transferred from the eastern division into West Sussex, along with Gatwick Airport, historically part of the county of Surrey. From 1290, Sussex returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of England . Each county returned two MPs and each borough designated by Royal charter also returned two MPs. After
8928-499: The circling woods. Coldean , Moulsecoomb , and Bevendean are suburbs developed by Brighton Corporation in the 1950s necessitated by the acute housing shortage in the area after World War II . The districts are all in beautiful downland areas. Coldean occupies a deep valley on the historic boundary of Falmer and Stanmer parishes and is only separated from Hollingbury Hillfort by Wild Park. It has recently been approved to build over two hundred new homes in green land adjoining
9052-495: The constituencies of Brighton and Brighton Kemptown . Since 1997 there has been a gradual shift to the left, especially in more urban areas. This has been most notable in Brighton and Hove, where in Brighton Pavilion the UK's first Green MP, Caroline Lucas , was elected in 2010 and the UK's first Green-led local authority was elected in 2011. In the House of Commons , the lower house of
9176-518: The corner of the Saddlescombe Road and the turn-off to the golf clubhouse, there is a sarsen stone ( TQ 278 090 ) marking this point in the medieval boundary between Patcham and West Blatchington parishes. To the north is Varncombe Hill , which borders the Newtimber parish. Its south-west facing slope( TQ 280 099 ) is heavily scrubbed-up, though lovely old pasture glades survive. Rockrose
9300-559: The county emblem originated and derived from the coat of arms of the 14th-century Knight of the Shire , Sir John de Radynden . Sussex's six martlets are today held to symbolise the traditional six sub-divisions of the county known as rapes . Sussex by the Sea is regarded as the unofficial anthem of Sussex; it was composed by William Ward-Higgs in 1907, perhaps originally from the lyrics of Rudyard Kipling 's poem entitled Sussex . Adopted by
9424-667: The county's culture and history . The name "Sussex" is derived from the Middle English Suth-sæxe , which is in turn derived from the Old English Sūþseaxe , meaning "(land or people) of the South Saxons " (cf. Essex , Middlesex and Wessex ). The South Saxons were a Germanic tribe that settled in the region from the North German Plain during the 5th and 6th centuries. The earliest-known usage of
9548-405: The division into east and west. The county retained a single lord lieutenant and sheriff until 1974, when they were replaced with separate posts for East and West Sussex and Sussex lost its status as a ceremonial county. Sussex is widely regarded as a single unified entity for some purposes, such as the environment, food and drink and sport . In 2007, Sussex Day was created to celebrate
9672-568: The dominance of Brighton. The first public buildings were completed in the late 19th century, including the original town hall in 1882. The parish of Aldrington was annexed by Hove in 1893. A municipal borough of Hove was formed by royal charter in 1889, granting Hove administrative autonomy. Further expansion took place in 1927, with the addition of the parishes of Preston Rural and Hangleton and westerly sections of West Blatchington and Patcham . Hove gained its own parliamentary constituency in 1950. The Local Government Act 1972 abolished
9796-700: The earliest known mines in Britain. Flint tools from Cissbury have been found as far away as the eastern Mediterranean. Sussex is rich in remains from the Bronze and Iron Ages , in particular the Bronze Age barrows known as the Devil's Jumps and Cissbury Ring , one of Britain's largest hillforts. Towards the end of the Iron Age in 75 BC people from the Atrebates , one of the tribes of
9920-451: The east and low-rise flats in the central part, with late 19th- and early 20th-century terraced houses towards Fiveways . There is an oasis of undeveloped green space at the peak of the Down between Hollingbury , Hollingdean , and Coldean . At its centre is Hollingbury Castle or Hillfort ( TQ 322 078 ).This Iron Age hillfort is a scheduled ancient monument , of Iron Age date, whilst
10044-423: The east-facing slope. Until the 1930s the area was open downland with farms, small-holdings and piggeries. After World War Two, Hollingbury was used for a factory estate with the housing for the workforce. Hollingdean is in the combe east of Ditchling Road and rising up to the north-facing slope to Roedale allotments, the golf course and hillfort . It is now mainly a residential area, with many council houses to
10168-404: The four mounded round barrows within its ramparts are made by Bronze Age people, who held this place sacred. There are thickets of gorse which shine yellow in spring and are home to linnets and goldfinch. European stonechat is a familiar bird, too, and the rarer whinchat and redstart are seen regularly on passage to and from their breeding grounds. The soil within and around the camp has
10292-687: The ice sheet over the North Sea melted, sea levels rose and the meltwaters burst south and westwards, creating the English Channel and cutting the people of Sussex off from their Mesolithic kinsmen to the south. Later in the Neolithic period, the area of the South Downs above Worthing was one of Britain's largest and most important flint -mining centres. The flints were used to help fell trees for agriculture. The oldest of these mines, at Church Hill in Findon, has been carbon-dated to 4500 BC to 3750 BC, making it one of
10416-456: The killing of the nobility and clergy. The Wealden iron industry expanded rapidly, especially after the first blast furnace arrived in Sussex in 1496, from the Low Countries , which greatly improved efficiency. Skilled Flemish workers moved to Sussex, followed again by Huguenot craftsmen from France, who brought new techniques. The industry was strategically important and flourished into
10540-616: The lead up to the Dieppe Raid and D-Day landings, the people of Sussex were witness to the buildup of military personnel and materials, including the assembly of landing crafts and construction of Mulberry harbours off the county's coast. In the post-war era, the New Towns Act 1946 designated Crawley as the site of a new town . As part of the Local Government Act 1972 , the eastern and western divisions of Sussex were made into
10664-403: The line of the A27 bypass, beyond which one or two more fragments also survive. At the eastern end of the Down, is a Bronze Age burial mound recognisable as a low, grassy tump. The area is rich with summer flowers. Harebell , Sussex rampion flower, rockrose, and yellow rattle are enjoyed by locals here and at midsummer there are still good numbers of glowworms . Later in the summer months,
10788-513: The milder zone 9. Rainfall is below average with the heaviest precipitation on the South Downs with 950 mm (37 in) of rainfall per year. The close proximity of Sussex to the Continent of Europe, results in cold spells in winter and hot, humid weather in summer. The climate of the coastal districts is strongly influenced by the sea, which, because of its tendency to warm up slower than land, can result in cooler temperatures than inland in
10912-469: The most populous settlement in Sussex since at least the 17th century, and a town hall and evidence of citizen's control over town affairs predates 1580. The original parish of Brighton covered what is today much of central Brighton. The parish border ran from Little Western Street and Boundary Passage in the west, to Whitehawk Road in the east, and roughly followed the Old Shoreham Road and Bear Road to
11036-404: The move on the grounds that Brighton would dominate affairs in the city, and the commission acknowledged that residents of Hove "have significant negative feelings towards Brighton" and greater identification towards Sussex . Ultimately, the view was taken that support for a single tier of government in both towns outweighed opposition to unification, and as a result the commission recommended that
11160-561: The new A27 road , Mile Oak's access to the Downs was largely blocked, stopping the spread of development. To the north of Mile Oak, on the other side of the A27, are a number of downland areas that are still in the Brighton and Hove area. These include the ancient chalk grassland slopes of Cockroost Hill , Cockroost Bottom and Mount Zion . They are all special areas because of the remarkable wildlife still surviving there, including rare downland flowers, orchids, butterflies and rare insects. There
11284-429: The north east of Coldean are two further valleys. The first is occupied by Stanmer village ( TQ 33 09 ), a village with much historical value. The upper village street has eighteen flint cottages, with colourful gardens. The church was reconstructed in 1838, but the date of the original church can be guessed from the two huge and knotty yews in the churchyard. Next to the church is a pond, which although often unkempt,
11408-420: The north of Round Hill is the Newtimber parish. Patcham , Westdene , and Withdean are divided by the London Road. Of the three, Patcham ( TQ 301 090 ), has much the longest history of human settlement and retains much from its agricultural past. It was one of the bigger settlements in Sussex at the time of Domesday book, with 10 shepherds and six slaves and a medieval Archbishop of Canterbury came from
11532-548: The north of the city boundary in this area is the Pycombe parish. The Downland to the north of Patcham leads up to Ditchling Beacon and the western end of the Clayton to Offham Escarpment . Tegdown Hill is the next hill to the west of the downland Ditchling Road. A remarkable "ring barrow" survives ( TQ 313 101 ) on its brow, together with the slight mounds of two other bowl barrows. Tegdown ring barrow has been described as "probably
11656-416: The north. The Great Reform Act of 1832 created the parliamentary constituency of Brighton . Brighton obtained a royal charter for incorporation in 1854 and was organised into six wards: Park, Pavilion, Pier, St Nicholas, St Peter, and West. The ward of Preston was added in 1873, expanding Brighton to the north. In 1889 Brighton attained county borough status. The Brighton Corporation Act of 1927 added
11780-460: The old clubhouse there are the damaged remains of a Bronze Age round barrow ( TQ 283 087 ) which has long acted as a marker on the old parish boundaries. Since the cessation of golf play harebell , scabious , cowslip , rockrose , betony , Sussex rampion and horseshoe vetch have flowered ebulliently. There are large old anthills and chalkhill , small and adonis blue and brown argus butterflies, and all three species of Forester moth. At
11904-526: The parish of Stanmer were added to Brighton by the Brighton Extension Act 1951, completing the northward extension of the town. A final expansion of the town's boundaries was approved in 1968, incorporating reclaimed land from the sea for the Brighton Marina project. Brighton was split into two parliamentary constituencies in 1950. The first, Brighton Pavilion , covers the centre and north of
12028-453: The refugee Verica , a king whose capital was in the Selsey and Chichester area, who had been driven out by the Catuvellauni , a tribe based around modern Hertfordshire. Much of Sussex was a Roman canton of the Regni , probably taking a similar area to the pre-Roman tribal area and kingdom. Its capital was at Noviomagus Reginorum , modern-day Chichester, close to the pre-Roman capital of
12152-588: The remaining parishes of Hove, Aldrington and Hangleton and West Blatchington to form the unparished non-metropolitan district of Hove. It also incorporated the nearby town of Portslade-by-Sea into the new district. The new boundaries established by the Act remained largely the same until unification with Brighton a quarter of a century later. To the west of Brighton and Hove is Portslade . The area has three distinct centres with different histories, and includes Portslade-by-Sea , Portslade Village and Mile Oak . Each
12276-508: The settlements of Ovingdean and Rottingdean , as well as western parts of Falmer , Patcham and West Blatchington . These reforms expanded the Brighton the north and west dramatically. Between 1920 and 1950 housing estates were developed in Woodingdean , Moulsecoomb , Bevendean , and Whitehawk increasing the population of the town substantially. As a result, the number of wards had by now increased to 19. The rest of Falmer, Coldean and
12400-581: The southern part of the Wealden anticline , the major features of which are the high lands that cross the county in a west to east direction: the Weald itself and the South Downs . Natural England has identified the following seven national character areas in Sussex: At 280 metres (920 feet), Blackdown is the highest point in Sussex, or county top . With a height of 248 metres (814 ft) Ditchling Beacon
12524-411: The steepest slope and the lynchets have fine chalk downland flowers. Opposite the slope is the mouth of Deep Bottom ( TQ 303 105 ), the southerly slope of which is a colourful old pasture site with abundant rockrose and which rises up to the Chattri . In autumn there are boletes and several old meadow waxcaps and a fairy club fungus. To the south of the A27 and on the western edge of Patcham
12648-434: The summer. In the autumn months, the coast sometimes has higher temperatures. Rainfall during the summer months is mainly from thunderstorms and thundery showers; from January to March the heavier rainfall is due to prevailing south-westerly frontal systems. In winter, the east winds can be as cold as further inland. Selsey is known as a tornado hotspot, with small tornadoes hitting the town in 1986, 1998 and 2000, with
12772-413: The sunniest places in the United Kingdom. The coast has consistently more sunshine than the inland areas: sea breezes, blowing off the sea, tend to clear any cloud from the coast. The sunshine average is approximately 1,900 hours a year; this is much higher than the UK average of 1,340 hours a year. Most of Sussex lies in hardiness zone 8; the exception is the coastal plain west of Brighton, which lies in
12896-484: The term South Saxons (Latin: Australes Saxones ) is in a royal charter of 689 which names them and their king, Noðhelm , although the term may well have been in use for some time before that. The monastic chronicler who wrote up the entry classifying the invasion seems to have got his dates wrong; recent scholars have suggested he might have been a quarter of a century too late. In the Domesday Book of 1086, Sussex
13020-537: The territories including at Arundel, Bramber, Lewes, Pevensey and Hastings. Sussex's bishop, Æthelric II , was deposed and imprisoned and replaced with William the Conqueror's personal chaplain, Stigand . The Normans also built Chichester Cathedral and moved the seat of Sussex's bishopric from Selsey to Chichester. The Normans also founded new towns in Sussex, including New Shoreham (the centre of modern Shoreham-by-Sea), Battle, Arundel, Uckfield and Winchelsea. In 1264,
13144-447: The town. The second, Brighton Kemptown , covers the east of the town. The latter has since expanded further east to include the neighbouring towns of East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs , and Peacehaven , all of which are administratively within the adjacent Lewes District . Brighton became a municipal borough as a result of the 1972 Local Government Act , losing unitary control of town affairs to East Sussex County Council . This reform
13268-603: The towns, Brighton and Hove applied for city status again as part of the Millennium City Status Competition, and was subsequently granted city status on 31 January 2001. As a result, the borough council became a city council . Although the city now operates as a single entity, locals generally still consider Brighton and Hove to be separate settlements with different identities. Hove is largely residential and has its own distinct seafront and established town centre located around George Street, while Brighton has
13392-482: The unification of the towns by several decades. In 2014, Brighton and Hove formed the Greater Brighton City Region with neighbouring local authorities. The City of Brighton and Hove consists of many districts, a stretch of coast and some downland areas. Just to the south of Brighton and Hove in the English Channel is the Rampion Wind Farm , which provides renewable energy to the country. Brighton has been
13516-501: The unrest continued until 1832 and became known as the Swing Riots . During World War I , on 30 June 1916, the Royal Sussex Regiment took part in the Battle of the Boar's Head at Richebourg-l'Avoué . The day subsequently became known as The Day Sussex Died . Within five hours the 17 officers and 349 men were killed, and 1,000 men were wounded or taken prisoner. In 1918 the terms of
13640-496: The valley's north side has one of the largest populations of autumn ladies-tresses orchid has been recorded, together with a large population of the white variety of the self heal violet . The scrub at the head of the valley is old and diverse, with wayfaring tree , old man's beard , honeysuckle , hazel , and gorse . In July 2021 the Sussex-based 'Landscapes of Freedom' group, together with Nick Hayes and Guy Shrubsole of
13764-439: The village. The area still has many old flint cottages, big allotment sites and winding twittens. There is Patcham Place and Park. The best cluster of buildings comprise its Norman church (which has kept part of its medieval wall paintings) and the old buildings of Patcham Court Farm, with a 17th-century flint farmhouse and dovecot. The areas of Withdean and Westdene were historically farmland but have been developed, mainly in
13888-481: The violet-blue of devil's-bit scabious and the powder-blue lesser scabious radiate. The Chattri ( TQ 304 110 ) is a place of memorial and a destination for walks. It can be accessed from the Sussex Border Path to its west or by scrambling through the thickets of Deep Bottom. It is a solemn place where the bodies of First World War Indian Sikh and Hindu soldiers who died from wounds whilst being nursed at
14012-639: Was able to journey through the county after the Battle of Worcester in 1651 to make his escape to France from the port of Shoreham. In 1681 Charles II granted William Penn lands in what became Pennsylvania and Delaware . Amongst those whom he carried to North America as colonists were 200 people from Sussex, mostly Quakers, who founded settlements named after places in Sussex including Lewes and Seaford in Sussex County , Delaware and Horsham Township and Chichester in Pennsylvania. The Sussex coast
14136-477: Was an important place of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages . Sussex's motto, We wunt be druv , is a Sussex dialect expression meaning "we will not be pushed around" and reflects the traditionally independent nature of Sussex men and women. The round-headed rampion , also known as the "Pride of Sussex", was adopted as Sussex's county flower in 2002. The physical geography of Sussex relies heavily on its lying on
14260-408: Was created in 1988. There are a number of ways through Hangleton to a bridge over the A27 bypass where the trail begins, but the original route took you from Aldrington railway station and above the Hove cemetery. Much of the trail across the Downs is on a hard surface. There are many archaic Down pastures in the area. To the west is Benfield Hill ( TQ 261 078 ), a Local Nature Reserve which
14384-415: Was defeated and Harold was killed. It is likely that all the fighting men of Sussex were at the battle, as the county's thegns were decimated and any that survived had their lands confiscated. William built Battle Abbey at the site of the battle, with the exact spot where Harold fell marked by the high altar. Sussex experienced some of the greatest changes of any English county under the Normans, for it
14508-580: Was found in 1997 is the latest find of Roman coins found in Britain , probably deposited after 475 AD, well after the Roman departure from Britain around 410 AD. The foundation legend of Sussex is provided by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , which states that in the year AD 477 Ælle landed with his three sons. Having fought on the banks of the Mearcredesburna , it seems Ælle secured the area between
14632-410: Was greatly modified by the social movement of sea bathing for health which became fashionable among the wealthy in the second half of the 18th century. Resorts developed all along the coast, including at Brighton, Hastings, Worthing, and Bognor. Poverty increased and by 1801 Sussex had the highest poor law rates in England, with 23 per cent of its population (37,000 people out of 160,000) living on
14756-475: Was largely countryside, with very few people living there for most of the Middle Ages, but it is now a residential area. Like Aldrington, West Blatchington was once primarily down and sheep grazing area, but is now built up. West Blatchington manor had various lords over the centuries, but unlike Adrington and Hangleton, it was always associated with lords in the east such Lewes , Falmer , and Patcham . It
14880-475: Was later followed by a reduction of wards to 16 in 1983. Brighton Borough Council remained under this structure until unification with Hove. A small parish at the end of the 18th century, Hove began to expand in the early 19th century alongside the westward development of Brighton, and in 1832 became incorporated into the parliamentary constituency of Brighton . In 1873 commissioners from Hove, West Hove and Brunswick were amalgamated as means to guard against
15004-496: Was set up to conduct a structural review of local government arrangements across England. In its draft proposals for East Sussex, the commission suggested two separate unitary authorities be created for the towns of Brighton and Hove, with the latter authority to include Hove, Worthing and the Adur District . Support within Brighton for its own unitary authority was high, however respondents in Hove expressed reservations towards
15128-524: Was still 10 to 25 per cent lower than it had been in 1066. It was also during the Norman period that Sussex achieved its greatest importance in comparison with other English counties. Sussex was on the main route between England and Normandy , and the lands of the Anglo-Norman nobility in what is now western France. The growth in Sussex's population, the importance of its ports and the increased colonisation of
15252-434: Was the heartland of King Harold and was potentially vulnerable to further invasion. In the immediate aftermath of the Normans' landing at Pevensey and the Battle of Hastings and to put an end to any rebellion, the Norman army destroyed estates and other assets on their route through Sussex, leading to a 40 per cent reduction in Sussex's wealth, a situation worse than any other southern or midland county. By 1086 wealth in Sussex
15376-406: Was then given to Anne of Cleves in 1541 by Henry VIII . The manor was demolished in 1936. This is where Withdean Stadium is located, which was the temporary home of Brighton and Hove Albion F.C. between 1999 and 2011. The stadium site was formerly Brighton Zoo built in 1920. Withdean Woods, next to the stadium, is a wooded hillside nature reserve approximately 2.47 acres (1 ha) in size. This
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