SUSSEX. 



SUSSEX. 



Charles I. Ashburnliam House, the seat of the Earl of Ashburnham, 

 is a large modern edifice, containing a good collection of paintings, 

 and standing in a fine park. BexMIl, population 21 IS, is on the coast, 

 6 miles W. from Hastings. The village is resorted to in summer as 

 a qniet secluded watering-place. The church is partly of Norman 

 date ; the chancel is early English ; and the windows of the nave are 

 of perpendicular date. There ia a National school. BiUiythri>, 

 population 1458, is 13 miles N. from Arundel. Some malting is carried 

 on. Boryrore, population 755. is a pleasantly-situated village 4 miles 

 N'.E. from Chichester. The church is a portion of the priory of Box- 

 grove, founded in the reign of Henry I. Goodwood, the magnificent 

 seat of the Duke of Richmond, is chiefly in Boxgrove parish. The 

 mansion, a very spacious and stately edifice, contains some fine 

 1 set urea : the park is well-wooded and very picturesque. Kurwath, 

 population 2227, is 20 miles E.N.E. from Lewes. Tlie church is partly 

 in the early English stjle. There are chapels for Wesleyan Method- 

 ist* and Independents, and National schools. Petty sessions are held 

 here. Buxttd, population 1694, is on the river Ouse, 12 miles N. by 

 E. from Lewes. Besides the church, which is small but very ancient, 

 there are a Di?senting chapel and National schools. A cattle-fair is 

 held on July 31st Buxteil Place, the scat of the Earl of Liverpool, is 

 a fine mansion, standing in a well-wooded park. CHAILET, 7 miles N. 

 by W. from Lewes, on the London road, the seat of a Poor-Law 

 Union, is noticed in a separate article. Finilon, population 559, 

 is pleasantly situated 4 miles N. by W. from Worthing, and 

 has in its vicinity several excellent residences. The church is 

 Norman. There is a National school. A fair for lambs is held on 

 July 12th, and one f<jr sbe^p on September 14th. On Cissbury Hill 

 are traces of a considerable encampment. Ple'chiny, 10 miles N. 

 from Lewes, population 2007. The church is a large ancient edifice. 

 There are a chapel for Baptists, and a National school. Sheffield 

 Place, the ^st of Earl Sheffield, ia a fine modern mansion, standing 

 in a beautiful park. Framfeld, 9 miles N.E. from Lewes, population 

 1385, has a fine old church and a National school. The archbishops 

 of Canterbury formerly had a seat here. Front, population of the 

 parish, part of which is in Kent, 2447. The village is 2 miles S. from 

 Tonbridge Wells, of which it is a sort of suburb. The church stands 

 on a commanding site. There are National schools. On Saxonbnry 

 Hill are traces of an ancient encampment. Iltnthf-ld, 14 miles N.E. 

 from Lewes, population 2203, has, besides the church, an Independent 

 chapel and a National school In Heathfield park is a monument 

 erected in honour of General Elliot, Lord Heathfield, the brave 

 defender of Gibraltar, llellinglcy, population 1761, is about 12 miles 

 E. fnrn Lewes. The village ia united with that of flortt Bridyt, also 

 in IMlingley parish. Besides the church, there are place* of worship 

 for Wesleyan Methodists, Independents, and Baptist*, and a National 

 school Fain for cattle are held on May 9th and September 29th. 

 l[-*feld, population 1664, ia a good-sized Tillage 5 miles N.E. from 

 Stcyuing. The church is ancient There are National schools. 

 Jfentmoncfur, 5 miles E. from Hailsham : population, 1292. The 

 church, which is partly of the early English period, contains some 

 interesting monument*. The Baptists have a chapel, and there are 

 National schools. Herstmonceux Castle is noticed at the end of the 

 article. Kn/mcr, population 1008, about 8 miles N. from Brighton, 

 has an old church and National school*. There are brick- and tile- 

 works, and potteries at St. John's Common. Lindflcld, population 

 1814, ia on the right bank of the Ouse, 3 milea E.H.E. from Cuck- 

 field. It has a fine old church, and a school of Industry founded by 

 the late W. Allen. There are fairs for sheep on April 1st and May 12th, 

 and for lambs on August Sth. SfarateM, 2 miles N. from Uckfield, 

 ition 1805, baa an old church, a district chapel at Nutley, and < 

 mil school. There are very extensive nurseries and market- 

 gardens. Ort, 2 miles N. by W. from Hastings, population 1745, has 

 an old church and a National school. The village is a favourite 

 report of visitors to Hustings, on account of ita picturesque scenery. 

 Palborouy/i, imputation 1 V 2~>, is on the left bank of the Arnn, 8 milea 

 V. from Arundel. The church, which stands on an eminence, is ol 

 early English date, and contains aome interesting monuments. Th< re 

 i * Dissenting chapel. A customary market for corn ia held on 

 Friday ; a fair is held on Easter Tuesday. Rinym.tr, 3 miles N.E 

 from Lewes, population 1374, has, besides the church, an Independenl 

 chapel and a National school. In the parish is an artillery barrack. 

 f-'fljity, population 934, situated on the head-land known as SelseyBill, 

 9 miles 8. from Chichester, ia said to havo once stood much farther 

 inland, the shore having been much encroached upon by the sea. In 

 Saxon timo< it wm the scat of a bishopric, removed to Chichester 

 about 1075 : it is now a mere village. The church, which ia ancient, 

 is a portion of a larger edifice. Prawns and lobsters are extensively 

 taken : they are chiefly Bent to the London market. Starring/ton, ! 

 miles N.E. from Arnndel : population, 1038. The church contains 

 nome monuments by Wcstmacott. There are National schools. 

 customary corn-market ia held every alternate Tuesday ; fairs for 

 cnttlq and pcdlery arc held on May 13th and November 11 th. Parham 

 Hipuse stands in a richly-wooded park. Wadhurit, 6 miles S.E. from 



Tonbridge Wells, population 2802. The church is partly in the earl; 

 English style, and contains aome interesting monumcnt-i. There ar" 

 " snt and Baptist chapels, and National scboola. Witfiyam, I 

 . from Tonbridge Wells : population, 1692. The church was 



Independent and 



miles H.W 



ebviilt in the 17th century, but has a mortuary chapel of decorated 

 haracter, repaired in 1844, ia which are some old monuments of the 

 Sackville family, and some by Flaxmau and Chantrcy. The Wesleyan 

 Methodists and Baptists have places of worship, and there are National 

 chools. Worth, S milea S. from Cuckfield, on the Brighton road, 

 rapulation 2475. The church ia one of the few ecclesiastical edifices 

 rhich retain portions of Anglo Saxon architecture. The Wesleyan 

 iethodists have a place of worship. 



Sussex constitutes the diocese of Chicheater. It is divided into 

 he archdeaconries of Chichester and Lewes. By the Poor-Law Com- 

 missioners the county is divided into 25 Poor- Law Unions : Arundel, 

 Jattle, Brighton, Chailey, Chichester City, Cuckfield, Eastbourne, 

 5ast Qrinstead, Hailsham, Hastings, Horsham, Lewes, Midhurst, New- 

 laven, Petwortb, East Preston, Rye, Steyning, Sutton, Thakeham, 

 riceburst, Uckfield, Weatbourue, West Firle, and Westhampuett. 

 Tbee Unions comprise 321 parishes and townships, with au an'a of 

 (46,299 acres, and a population in 1851 of 339,117. Sussex in in the 

 3ome circuit. The assizes are held at Lewes, where there is a house 

 of correction : the county jail ia at Horsham. Quarter sessions are 

 leld for East Sussex at Lewes ; for West Sussex, the Epiphany and 

 Easter sessions at Petworth, the Trinity at Horsham, and the Michael- 

 mai at Chichester. County courts are held at Arundel, Brighton, 

 Winchester, Cuckfield, East Griustead, Hastings. Horsham, Lewes, 

 Midhurat, Petworth, and Worthing. East and West Sussex return 

 ;wo members each to Parliament ; two members each are returned by 

 the city of Chichester, the Cinque Port of Hastings and the boroughs 

 of Brighton, New Shoreham, and Lewes ; and one member each for 

 ;he ancient town of Rye and the boroughs of Arundel, Horsham, and 

 Midhurst The total number now returned from the whole county 

 is 18. Before the Reform Act it was 28. 



Hittory and Antiquities. This county, like the adjoining county of 

 Kent, comprehends that part of England which, from its proximity 

 to the Continent, first attained notice; but its name ia derived fivm 

 the kingdom erected by Ella, after his successful expedition in 477, 

 when he aanimed the title of king of the South Saxon?, and gave the 

 title of Suth-sex to the district 



In the time of Caesar the Belgx were numerous in Sussex, and held 

 the district witli ample defences and fortifications. They had a 

 regular chain of communications along the hills, from one end of the 

 county to the other. The principal posts were at the extremity of 

 aome point nearly surrounded by water, and often defended on the 

 land aide by a vallum and trench. The towna of Arundel, Bramber, 

 Leweg, and Seaford, were tuna conveniently placed. They had stations 

 also at Storrington, at Sullington, at Ditchling, at Lewes, at Cissbury 

 above Worthing, and on almost all parts on or near the alopoa of tho 

 Downs; in such places remains of ancient earthworks have been 

 traced. A branch of.the Ermine Street entered Sussex at Pulborough 

 near Horsham, running to Chichester on the west, and another 

 branch went through the eastern part of the county. Three large 

 Roman stations were at Rcgnum, now Chichester; Mutuantonis, most 

 probably Lewes ; and Anderida. There were several smaller and 

 intermediate stations.. Ad-decimum is believed to have been at 

 Bignor, where were discovered, in 1811, the foundations of a large 

 villa, with several tesselated pavements, the crypto-porticiu, or inclosed 

 gallery for walking, a sudatory, and a bath. Karth works, both British 

 and Roman, occur in many places along the main lines of road. 

 Anderida probably occupied the site of the modern Pevensey. In 

 477, Ella, a chieftain of repute among the old Saxons, landed at a 

 place called Cymenea-ore, supposed to be Chichestor, and defeated 

 the enfeebled Britons. In 485, the British kings and rulers, uniting 

 their forces, collected a formidable army, which met the Saxons, at 

 a place named Mercrcadesburne. Tho victory was doubtful ; and the 

 Britons maintained themselves in Anderida, a fortress of considerable 

 importance, till 491, when, having been reinforced from Germany, 

 Ella defeated the Britons, and razed the fortress. Ho then proclaimed 

 himself king of the South Saxons. For nearly two centuries from 

 the abdication of Ceadwalla in 683 Sussex was under the rule of 

 military despots, called 'eorl',' appointed by the kings of AY 

 In subsequent times Sussex waa commonly the appanage of the eldest 

 eon or heir-apparent of the King of Wessex. In tho latter half of 

 the 9th century the Danes or Northmen made frequent predatory 

 excursions into Sussex, as well aa Kent. In 893 a Danish fleet of 330 

 sail assembled at Boulogne, and directed its course to the British 

 shore. Two hundred and fifty vessels entered the Kother, up which 

 river they towed their ships four miles. A vessel, supposed to be ono 

 of these Danish ships, was discovered in the year 1822 imbedded in 

 10 feet of mud and sand in a field at Northiam, a short distance from 

 the present navigable river. In the beginning of the 10th century .a 

 body of the Danes who had settled in Kaat Anglia and Northumber- 

 land fitted out a fleet, and after being repulsed in Devonshire, landed 

 at Chichester, but were driven back to thrir plii|M with considerable 

 lorn. King Alfred made his residence in Sussex, and built several 

 castles for the protection of the coast. When the Northmen reuewed 

 their ravages under Ethelred II., 980-991, Sussex was ravaged iu the 

 retreat from London of Colana, king of Norway, and Sweyn, king of 

 Denmark; and again in 1009 and 1018, when Sweyn assumed the 

 government. 



In the time of Edward the Confessor, Susicx with K<'iit was inclu led 



