Did You Know?

It is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent to the north and east, Surrey to the North West, West Sussex to the west, and to the south by the English Channel. The county has an overall population of approximately 830,000 people. Lewes is the county town in East Sussex and Brighton, one of England’s most popular holiday resorts lies within the county.

East Sussex is part of the historic county of Sussex, which has its roots in the ancient kingdom of the South Saxons, who established themselves there in the 5th century AD, after the departure of the Romans. Archaeological remains are plentiful, especially in the upland areas.

Alongside Anita Roddick in 1988, Paul McCartney received an honorary degree from the University of East Sussex in 1988, naming them the first ever ‘Doctors of the University’. The Beatles had stopped making music long before this, but he was one of the first celebrities to be granted an honorary degree.

In 2013, 1,276 people dressed as elves to populate Worthing town centre in East Sussex. Although scandalously no one from Guinness World Records has commented on this, this beats the world record by a massive 514 elves!

Apart from the physical landmarks such as the Downs and the Weald, has a great many landmarks of historical interest. There are castles at Bodiam, Herstmonceux, Lewes and Pevensey; and defence works such as the Martello towers and Eastbourne Redoubt.

It is rich in remains from the Bronze and Iron Ages, in particular the Bronze Age barrows known as the Devil’s Jumps, near Treyford, and Cissbury Ring, near Worthing, one of Britain’s largest hillforts. Intriguing and beautiful in equal measure! See the breathtaking video below of Cissbury Ring, courtesy of Worthing Museum!

The name “Sussex” is derived from the Old English Suth-Seaxe which means land or people of the South Saxons – a group of Germanic tribes who settled the region in the 5th and 6th centuries. It is home to one of the most famous battles of all time – Hastings.

Rye in is one of the best preserved medieval towns in England, home to the famous cobbled Mermaid Street. Nearby Camber Sands is a popular beach backed by sand dunes. Inland it is a county of country lanes, sleepy villages, woods, fields and downs.

The Romans certainly left their mark here. The Romans wrote about the inclement British weather and perhaps they were attracted to its sunnier climes? Did you know it was home to the magnificent Roman Palace at Fishbourne – the largest Roman residence known north of the Alps.