About West Sussex
Country: England
Region: South East England
Established: Ancient
Area: 1,991 km2 (769 sq mi)
Population: 915,030
Largest settlement: Crawley
West Sussex is a ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west.
The name came from the Old English word for South Saxons
Prehistoric Times:
West Sussex is home to Boxgrove, where the 500,000-year-old remains of Boxgrove Man (Homo heidelbergensis) were discovered. This is though to be amongst the oldest human fossil found in Britain.
Large quantities of flint tools, like arrowheads and scrapers, have been found in the Wealden area.
West Sussex features seven of the UK's ten confirmed Neolithic flint mines and has several ancient burial mounds. Evidence from Oldlands Farm shows agricultural field systems and communal feasting. Trade with continental Europe flourished, evidenced by amber beads from the Baltic and gold discs found in Sussex hoards.
Atrebates and Regni tribes occupied the area. Their major settlements were located near Chichester.
Roman Times:
The Roman era in West Sussex had the status of being a client kingdom, where it is controlled by Roman rule but run by British leader Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus.
A Roman amphitheatre just outside Chichester's East Gate hosted gladiatorial games.
Anglo Saxon Times:
West Sussex was the last of the major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms to convert to Christianity.
According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Saxon leader Ælle and his three sons landed at Cymenshore (near Selsey) in AD 477. Ælle was the first Bretwalda (overlord) of the English.
In AD 681 the exiled Bishop Wilfrid arrived in Selsey. He converted the kingdom after teaching the famine stricken locals how to fish. King Æðelwealh granted Wilfrid 87 hides of land to found Selsey Abbey, which served as the South Saxon cathedral site for 370 years. A hide of land was around 60 to 120 acres of land.
The bishop's seat remained at Selsey until 1075, when it was moved to Chichester Cathedral following a decree that cathedrals should be located in cities.
To defend against Viking raids, Alfred the Great established fortified towns called burhs.
Norman Times:
West Sussex transformed into a high security military zone to protect essential trade and communication routes between London and Normandy. Fortresses were built to control the river valleys.
Tudor and Stuart Times:
West Sussex was a favoured retreat for Tudor monarchs and home to some of the era's most influential families, most notably the Howards, Dukes of Norfolk. Cowdray House in Midhurst was one of England's most significant Tudor mansions, visited by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
Henry VIII's break from Rome led to the destruction or conversion of major religious sites like Boxgrove Priory.
Anne of Cleves was granted several Sussex properties, including a 15th-century timber-framed house in Lewes and The Priest House in West Hoathly, following her annulment from Henry VIII.
The threat of French and Spanish invasion saw the strengthening of coastal defences, including the construction of Camber Castle near the border to protect the Rye area.
Arundel Castle was besieged twice during the civil war, captured first by Royalists and then retaken by Parliamentarians after an 18 day siege in 1643.
Industrial Revolution Times:
West Sussex remained a predominantly agricultural county with its industrial growth tied closely to farming, construction, and the rise of seaside tourism.
Once the heart of British iron production, the Wealden Iron Industry collapsed as the Industrial Revolution took hold. Production shifted to the North and Midlands where coal was abundant, leaving the Weald's charcoal powered furnaces obsolete.
To support increased house building, industries like brick and tile making, cement manufacture, and mineral extraction flourished.
While traditional wooden shipbuilding declined as iron steamships took over the ports grew significantly by handling increased imports and exports.
The first railway in the county was the Brighton to Shoreham line, opened in 1840.
By 1897, there were 25 lines across the county. Towns with early rail links to London experienced much faster growth. Improved transport turned the area into major tourist destinations, shifting the workforce from agriculture to service industries.
Mechanisation and falling grain prices led to rising unemployment and poverty. This resulted in the Swing Riots of the 1830s, with incidents recorded in over 30 West Sussex villages.
Rapid population growth in towns caused overcrowding and sanitation issues including typhoid epidemics in 1893 and the late 1890s, prompting the creation of local Boards of Health and modern sewerage systems.
Victorian Times:
West Sussex evolved from a quiet agricultural region into a major destination for leisure and trade. The arrival of the railways saw it transform into the modern seaside holiday destination by allowing ordinary workers to travel to the coast in huge numbers.
Bognor Regis was popularised by royal visits (including Queen Victoria as a child), it became a major destination with the opening of its pier in the 1860s.
The area became a horticultural hub due to the increase in hot houses. Using new glasshouse technology, gardeners sent huge quantities of grapes, strawberries, and tomatoes to London by train.
Modern Times:
In the late 20th and early 21st centuries the county transitioned from an agricultural base to a diverse service and high-tech economy.
Gatwick Airport was officially opened by the Queen in 1958, it is now the world’s busiest single-runway airport and a major driver of the regional economy, supporting over 22,000 jobs in West Sussex alone.
During the mid-20th century, the county became a retreat for avant-garde artists and thinkers.
The South Downs National Park was established in 2010 to protect the landscape. Modern green energy projects such as the Wind farm off the coast, now provide renewable power for hundreds of thousands of homes.