East Sussex, county (1991 pop. 670,600), 693 sq mi (1,795 sq km), extreme SE England. It comprises seven administrative districts: Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Hove, Lewes, Rother, and Wealden. The county, the seat of which is Lewes, borders the English Channel. The South Downs form a chalky ridge on the coast, marshes line the southeast, and in the north are the Weald ridges, which are forested and comprised of clay and sand. Produce is grown, and cattle are raised. There is some light industry, but the area is mainly oriented toward tourism and resort towns that service London. William I the conqueror fought the battle of Hastings there. The remains of 12th- and 13th-century castles, churches, and abbeys are found throughout the region. In 1961 the Univ. of Sussex was opened near Brighton.

Administrative and geographic county (pop., 2001: 492,324), southeastern England. It is located on the English Channel; the county's administrative centre is in Lewes. A ridge of chalk hills, the South Downs, crosses the county along the coast; in the southeast the reclaimed marshes of Pevensey Levels have historically been an important entry point for invaders. Neolithic remains and an Iron Age hill fort have been found, as well as evidence of Roman occupation. The South Saxons came to dominate the area, and they were in turn subjugated by Wessex. In 1066 William of Normandy (see William I) landed at Pevensey and fought the Battle of Hastings. Along the coast, Hove, Brighton, Peacehaven, Seaford, Eastbourne, Bexhill, and Hastings form an ever-lengthening line of resorts.

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