Sussex constitutes the diocese of Chichester. It is divided into the archdeaconries of Chichester and Lewes. By the Poor-Law Com missioners the county is divided into 25 Poor-Law Unions :—Arundel, Battle, Brighton, Chailey, Chichester City, Cuckfield, Eastbourne, East Grinatcad, Hailsham, Hastings, lloreham, Lewes, Midhurst, New haven, Petworth, East Preston, Rye, Steyning, Sutton, Thakeliam, Ticehnrst, Uckfield, Weatbomme, West Fink, and Westhainpnett. These Unions comprise 821 parishes and townships, with an area of 916,299 acres, and a population in 1551 of 339,117. Sussex is in the Home circuit. The assizes are held at Lewes, where there is a house of correction : the county jail is at Horsham. Quarter sessions aro held—for East Sussex at Lewes; • for West Sussex, the Epiphany and Easter sessions at Petworth, the Trinity at Horsham, and the Michael mas at Chichester. County courts are held at Arundel, Brighton, Chichester, Cuckfield, East Grinstead, Hastings, Horsham, Lewes, 3lidhurat, Petwortb, and Worthing. East and West Sussex return two 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 and Lewes; • and one member each for the ancient town of Rye 'writhe boroughs of Arundel, Horsham, and Midhuret. The total number now returned from the whole county is 18. Before the Reform Act it was 28.
History 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 is derived from the kingdom erected by Ella, after his successful expedition in 477, when he assumed the title of king of the South Saxons, and gave the title of Suth-sex to the district.
In the time of Cxsar the Belgae were numerous in Sussex, and held the district with 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 some point nearly surrounded by water, and often defended on the land aide by it vallum and trench. The towns of Arundel, Bramber, Lewes, and Seaford, vrero thus conveniently placed. They had stations alao at Storrington, at Sulliugton, at Ditchling, at Lewes, at Cissbury above Worthiog, and oo almost all parts on or near the elopes of the Downs; in such places remains of ancient earthworks have been traced. A branch of.tho Ermine Street entered Sussex at Pulborough near Horsham, running to Chichester on the west, and nuother branch went through the eastern part of the county. Three largo Roman stations were at Regnum, now Chichester; Mutuautonis, most probably Lewes • and Anderida. There were several smaller and intermedinto stations.. Ad-deciumna is believed to have been at Bignor, where were discovered, in 1811, the foundations of a large villa, with several teaselated pavements, the crypto-porticus, or inclosed gallery for walking, a sudatory, and a bath. Earthworks, both British and Roman, occur in many places along the main lines of road. Anderida probably occupied the site of the modern l'evensey. In 477, Ella, a chieftain of repute among the old Saxons, landed at a place called Cymenes-ore, supposed to be Chichester, 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 Mercreadesburne. The 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. lie then proclaimed himself king of the South Saxons. For nearly two centuries from the abdication of Ceadwalla in 688 Sussex was under the rule of military despots, called ' eerie,' appointed by the kings of Wessex. In subsequent times Sussex was commonly the appanage of the eldest son or heir-apparent of the King of Wessex. In the latter half of the 9th century the Danes or Northman made frequent predatory excursions into Sussex, as well as 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 Rather, up which river they towed their ships four miles. A vessel, supposed to be one of these Danish ships, was discovered in the year 1b22 imbedded in 10 feet of mud and Band in a field at Northiam, a short distance from the present navigable river. In the beginning of the 10th century a body of the Damn who had settled in East Anglia and Northumber land fitted out a fleet, and after being repulsed in Devonshire, landed at Chichester, but were driven back to their Alps with considerable lose. King Alfred made his residence In Sussex, and built several castles for the protection of the coast. When the Northinen reuowed 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 1013, when Sweyn assumed tho government.
In the time of Edward the Confessor, Susie: wits t.ent was inc tide& in the earldom of the famous Oodwin, who exercised within his earl dom elerregel power. On the assumptiou of the throne by Harold, Senses Leanne the scene of the memorable contest which gave the I:aglish crown to the Norman invader. On the f.Sth of September, 1066, the Normans landed near the mouth of the little river Asteu. The decisive battle of Hastings was fought on the 14th of October following, on a heath then called Epiton or licthelind, but which thenceforth assumed the name of Battle. In the troubles of the period of Henry Ill., on the 14th of May, 1264, was fought the battle of Lewes, between the assembled barons, headed by Simon de Monte ford, earl of Leicester, and the king's troops, Commanded by the king himself, asaistett by his son Edward and his brother Richard. Jack Cade, whose insurrection in the reign of Henry VI. caused some trouble, extended his march Into Sasses, and is reported to have been killed at Cade Street in Ileathfield, where a stone monument has been rats' ed to mark the spot. In the subsequent reigns till Henry VIII., the Sussex coast suffered from the incursions of the French. During the civil wars the castles of Amberley, Arundel, and Bodiham, and the city of Chichester, were taken by the parliamentary forces.