4 
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY 
former, it has its origin in St. Leonard’s forest, 
and, passing by Steyning and Bramber, enters the 
Britisli Channel at New Sboreham. 
The Ouse, which is the principal river in the 
south-eastern part of the county, rises by two 
branches ; the one has its source in St. Leonard’s 
forest, and the other in the forest of Worth, north 
of Cuckfield. The river formed by the conflu- 
ence of these streams pursues a tortuous course 
to the southward, and, passing to the east of 
Lewes, which it separates from the adjacent town 
of the Cliff, flows through the flat alluvial tract of 
Lewes Levels, and discharges itself into the sea at 
Newhaven harbour. 
The Cuckmere has its source near Warbleton, 
and being augmented by numerous tributary 
streams, in its course by Hellingly, Arlington, 
Alfriston, &c., falls into the British Channel at 
the haven which bears its name. 
By these rivers the drainage of the country is 
effected; and it is worthy of observation, that they 
invariably flow from an older through a newer 
country ; or, in other words, tiiat the strata form- 
ing the district from whence they take their rise 
are of anterior formation to tlie chalk valleys by 
which they empty themselves into the ocean. 
The Weald* of Sussex is an extensive vale 
that occupies the centre of the south-eastern part 
of tlie county, and, running parallel witli the 
* “ Opposite to the South Downs, on the nortli, are tlie Surrey hills, 
falling abru[)tly southward, and sloping gradually to the north, and 
between these two lines of hills is the Weald of Sussex and Surrey.” 
— Young's Agricultural Survey. 
