East Sussex

East Sussex is crossed by the chalk ridge of the long range of uplands forming the South Downs. At the coast the chalk forms spectacular cliffs that run from Brighton to the famous Seven Sisters and Beachy Head, 175 m (575 ft) high, to the west of Eastbourne. North of the Downs is the High Weald of Sussex. Based on clays and sandstones, this undulating countryside includes Ashdown Forest, the largest area of heathland vegetation in south-eastern England and one of the most important semi-natural wildlife habitats in Britain. To the east of Beachy Head are the Pevensey Levels, a marshy area that originally consisted of a group of small islands surrounded by tidal mud flats. The county’s 76 km (47 mi) of coastline is varied: cliffs, such as the Seven Sisters and the sandstone cliffs of Fairlight, alternate with the flat, shingle beaches of Pevensey Bay and Bexhill. East of Rye the coastal land is again marshy.

The High Weald (including the Ashdown Forest) and the Sussex Downs have both been designated by the Countryside Commission as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Some 10 km (6 mi) of coastline have been designated Heritage Coast, and the few areas where the countryside meets the sea—between Seaford and Eastbourne, the Pevensey Levels, and the Rye Harbour area—are protected. The South Downs Way runs across the county from Westmeston as far as Eastbourne.

The principal rivers of the county are the Ouse, which reaches the English Channel at Newhaven; the Cuckmere, with its mouth at Cuckmere Haven; and the Rother, which for a short distance forms the boundary with Kent before passing through Rye to the Channel.

The climate of East Sussex is mild. Average rainfall over the county is in the region of 760 to 1,000 mm (30 to 40 in), although near the Kent border it may be somewhat less.

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Content by Ulf Dantanus - Designed by Noah Hearle - 5/19/01