East Sussex
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about East Sussex from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of East Sussex's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry. Skip this section and go to place by numbers
Wych Cross Place
Danehill
Wych Cross Place's gardens, designed by Thomas Hayton Mawson in 1901 for geographer Douglas Freshfield, are praised as one of Mawson's best achievements, retaining most of the original...
Heathfield Park
Heathfield and Waldron
Heathfield Park, established in the 17th century, features improvements by Humphry Repton and Reginald Blomfield. It includes historic gardens, lakes, and the notable Gibraltar Tower.
Wootton Manor
Long Man
Wootton Manor, extensively remodeled by Detmar Blow in the early 20th century, combines Arts and Crafts architecture with historical significance.
Stanmer House
Brighton and Hove
Stanmer House in Brighton is an 18th-century country house by architect Nicholas Dubois. Built for Henry Pelham and expanded in the 19th century, it showcases historical architecture.
The New House, including orangery, Millennium Pavilion, t…
Wadhurst
The New House, built from 1982, is a rare and idiosyncratic post-modern country house designed by the architect John Outram for the Rausing family, developers of the Tetra Pak.
Harrock House
Buxted
Harrock House is a late 17th-century red brick structure featuring a half-H plan and notable for its modillion eaves cornice and pilastered wings.
Eridge Park
Frant
Eridge Park, originally a medieval deer park, was developed in the late 18th century by the Abergavennys into a picturesque estate with significant historical visits and industrial usage.
Tudor Close
Rottingdean
Built in around 1929, the houses of Tudor Close incorporated two former barns and a cow shed from nearby Court Farm.
Old Lifeboat Station (Mary Stanford Boathouse)
Icklesham
Former lifeboat house. Built in 1882 by a local builder, a Mr M Anne, financed from donations by the RNLI.
Former Wadhurst College
Wadhurst
Country house, later in educational use. Completed in 1885, designed by Adolphus Croft, an in house architect for Gillow and Company (later Waring and Gillow) for John Bruce.
Polegate Windmill
Willingdon and Jevington
Polegate Windmill, built in 1817, is a notable tower mill with historical significance, known by several names and featuring a red brick, tile-hung design.
Charleston Manor
Cuckmere Valley
Charleston Manor, once the home of Sir Oswald Birley, features gardens designed by Walter Hines Godfrey. It was a cultural hub hosting the Sussex festival.
The Old Mint House and Mint Cottage
Pevensey
Hall, detached kitchen and house, originally built in about the early to mid-C16 as detached buildings but joined by a cross-wing and link range to form a single complex in the late C16 or...
Herstmonceux Castle and Place
Herstmonceux
Herstmonceux Castle, built in the 15th century, features a medieval park and has undergone several restorations. It is currently owned by Queen's University.
Kidbrooke Park
Forest Row
Kidbrooke Park features 18th-century origins with significant landscaping by Humphry Repton, including a water system and gardens developed through the 19th and 20th centuries.
Anne of Cleves House Wings Place
Ditchling
Anne of Cleves House, a late 16th-century timber-framed building in Ditchling, features a distinctive L-shape, ornate timbering, period fireplaces, and historic architectural details.
Buxted Park
Buxted
Buxted Park, an 18th-century park with significant 17th and 19th-century features, transitioned ownership through historical families and now serves as a country house hotel.
Ashburnham Place
Ashburnham
Lancelot Brown crafted Ashburnham Place's landscape, with improvements by the Ashburnham family since the 12th century, forming a cohesive estate developed into a Christian Conference...
Chapel to the Former Convent of the Holy Child Jesus
Hastings
An intact High Victorian Gothic chapel, featuring altars and reredos by Pugin, with noteworthy marble, painted walls, and a nun's choir, listed at Grade II*.
Preston Manor and Preston Park
Brighton and Hove
Preston Manor and Park feature Victorian foundations, significant expansions in the 1920s-30s, and gardens demonstrating Edwardian life, managed by Brighton and Hove Council.
Wooden Wreck on Camber Sands
Camber
Remains of a substantial oak-built sailing vessel lying parallel to the beach in the intertidal zone on Camber Sands, Rother, East Sussex.
Shinewater Bronze Age settlement
Eastbourne
Late Bronze Age settlement including truncated wooden platform and abutting wooden trackway. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Sheffield Park
Fletching
Sheffield Park is a historic landscape park known for its lakes and notable gardens, developed since the 18th century by Lancelot Brown and Humphry Repton.
Madeira Terrace, Madeira Walk, lift tower and related bui…
Brighton and Hove
An 865m long, cast-iron covered terrace and walkway, with integral former shelter hall and a 3-stage lift tower, built between 1890-1897 and designed by the Brighton Borough Surveyor, Philip...
The Royal Pavilion
Brighton and Hove
The Royal Pavilion is a historic building with significant architectural development over several phases, most notably under architects Henry Holland and John Nash.
Compton Place
Eastbourne
Compton Place features gardens designed by Charles Bridgeman and Lancelot Brown, with proposals by Humphry Repton.
Section of Roman road 270yds (250m) in length SE of Holty…
Hartfield
Roman roads were built for communication and trade, crucial for Roman administration.
Ruins of Laughton Place
Laughton
Ruins of Laughton Place, a 1534 tower built by Sir William Pelham, stand on a moated site. It was refurbished in the 20th century by The Landmark Trust.
Parish Church of St Peter
Bexhill-on-Sea
Probably C11 in origin, the tower is late C11 or very early C12. The two western bays of the aisles were added in the 3rd quarter of the C12. The eastern bay on each side is early C13.
Saltdean Lido
Brighton and Hove
Lido with ancillary building. 1938, designed by RWH Jones in Moderne style, refurbished c1964 and c1997. The 1964 north library and community centre extension is of lesser interest.
The Royal Pavilion, Brighton
Brighton and Hove
The Royal Pavilion in Brighton, built by John Nash for King George IV, features restored 19th-century gardens designed to revive its historical layout, reflecting Regency design principles.
Groombridge Place
Speldhurst
Groombridge Place is a 17th-century moated house with walled gardens and parkland, historically linked to families like the Packers and Saints, and associated with John Evelyn.
Bedfordwell Pumping Station, Eastbourne
Eastbourne
1881-83 engine house and attached boiler house built for Eastbourne Waterworks Co. Ltd. in Classical style; architect Henry Currey. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Queen's Park, Brighton
Brighton and Hove
Queen's Park, designed in the early 19th century for private development, became Brighton's second public park in 1892, featuring recreational facilities and historical structures.
Falmer House Including Moat Within Courtyard
Brighton and Hove
Falmer House, designed by Sir Basil Spence in the early 1960s, is central to the University of Sussex and historically significant as the campus's first constructed building.
Numbers 11-40 and Attached Railings
Brighton and Hove
Numbers 11-40 Sussex Square are terraced houses designed by Amon Wilds and Charles Augustin Busby. Notable residents include Thomas Read Kemp and Lewis Carroll.
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Search for more listed placesEast Sussex through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how East Sussex changes over time. Skip this section and go to aerial photos
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of East Sussex
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground. Skip this section and go to archive images

Wadhurst Park
Wadhurst Hall, Wadhurst Park, 1931

Wadhurst Park
Wadhurst Hall and environs, Wadhurst Park, 1931

Ticehurst
Whiligh, Ticehurst, 1952

Ticehurst
Whiligh, Ticehurst, 1952

Forest Row
Plawhatch Hall, Forest Row, 1950

Forest Row
Plawhatch Hall and the surrounding countryside, Forest Row, 1950

Hastings
Carlisle Parade and environs, Hastings, 1926

Hastings
The entrance to the Carlisle Parade underground car park alongside Robertson Terrace and the seafront, Hastings, 1932

Fletching
Sheffield Park House, Fletching, 1950

Fletching
Sheffield Park House, Fletching, 1950
East Sussex in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of East Sussex's past. Skip this section and go to stories about heritage
Charles George Harper Collection
Wealden, East Sussex
Date created: 1880 - 1900
The Market Cross, seen from the south
Eric de Mare
Hove, The City Of Brighton And Hove, The City Of Brighton And Hove
Date created: 1945 - 1980
General view of Adelaide Terrace in Hove.
John Gay Collection: Railway Stations
The City Of Brighton And Hove
Date created: 1967 - 1985
View from the Holly Bush public house looking towards Trafalgar Street and showing the canopy of Brighton station overhead
John Gay Collection: Modern Architects
Coopersale, Epping Forest, Essex
Date created: 1970 - 1979
The modern terrace of houses at 60 to 63 Parklands, part of a late 20th century housing estate at Coopersale
John Gay Collection: Rural Life
Wealden, East Sussex
Date created: 1959
A view of a rural farm trackway in summertime on the outskirts of Berwick village leading to the Old Coach Road, showing the white chalk track leading...
John Gay Collection: Miscellaneous
Wealden, East Sussex
Date created: 1962
A close up view of balls of string in Green Brothers twine and rope works in Hailsham, Sussex
John Gay Collection: Counties
Exceat Bridge, Lewes, East Sussex
Date created: 1972
Looking through an open porthole window in The Golden Galleon towards Cuckmere Haven
John Laing Collection
Hastings, East Sussex
Date created: 1949
A detail showing the assembly of steel shuttering for the construction of Easiform housing in Hastings
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Rother, East Sussex
Date created: 06 Jul 1909 - 09 Jul 1909
A view showing Ypres Tower from the north-west
Alfred Newton and Sons
Rother, East Sussex
Date created: 1896 - 1920
GENERAL VIEW LOOKING EAST ALONG STREET
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Hove, The City Of Brighton And Hove, The City Of Brighton And Hove
Date created: 1910 - 1930
GENERAL VIEW
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Hove, The City Of Brighton And Hove, The City Of Brighton And Hove
Date created: 1900 - 1920
GENERAL VIEW OF PEOPLE SEATED AROUND BANDSTAND
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about East Sussex. Skip this section and go to education
£750k Grant Kickstarts Madeira Terrace Restoration in Brighton
Mentions Madeira Terrace, Madeira Walk, lift tower and related buildings, Western Bandstand and Lavatories and Walls and Railings Opposite Bedford Square, The Corn Exchange and Dome Theatre
Historic England has committed £750,000 towards the restoration of Grade II* listed Madeira Terrace in Brighton, East Sussex.
What Is the Oldest Castle in England?
Mentions Pevensey Castle: a Saxon Shore fort, Norman defences, a medieval enclosure castle, and later associated remains, Hastings Castle
Discover the oldest English castle contenders, including the Norman Berkhamsted Castle, Windsor Castle, Dover Castle and The White Tower, London.
The History of England’s Village Greens
Mentions Ringmer War Memorial
The origins of village greens in England date back to the early Middle Ages. Village greens are open spaces that can be registered.
Historic North Sea Floods
Mentions Hastings Castle, the Collegiate Church of St Mary and the Ladies' Parlour
The 1953 East Coast floods and other major historic floods that have impacted coastal England over the last 1,000 years.
The Colourful World of Architect John Outram
Mentions The New House,
The brilliant colours and exuberant gestures of Outram’s work have captured the popular imagination, yet still retain the ability to shock.
The Story of Eleanor Coade
Mentions The Royal Pavilion
The pioneering business woman who successfully adapted a secret formula to manufacture an elegant artificial stone.
4 Reasons to Visit Historic Cornwall
Mentions Saltdean Lido
There’s nowhere else quite like Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Here are some historic highlights.
7 Places to Celebrate the National Trust
Mentions Bodiam Castle
The National Trust was founded on 12 January 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley.
Protected Parks and Gardens to Visit this Autumn
Mentions Sheffield Park
As the nights grow shorter and the leaves get crispier, here are some of the best parks and gardens to visit this Autumn.
8 of England’s Most Magnificent Libraries
Mentions Hove Public Library
Libraries are ingrained into the blueprints of cities worldwide.
6 Spectacular Swimming Pools
Mentions Saltdean Lido
Dive in and discover some of England’s historic swimming pools.
9 Luxurious Listed Loos
Mentions Tram shelter and public toilets
Our public facilities embody a proud civic heritage of social responsibility, as well as changing attitudes to public health and cleanliness.
Fashionable Fakery: 8 Fantastical Follies
Mentions The Sugarloaf
Follies litter our 18th century landscapes, representing the humour and eccentricity of the financier. Here we take a look at 8 fantastical features.
Research Reports Roundup February 2025
Mentions East Sussex
A roundup of the latest additions to our research reports database from October 2024 to February 2025, arranged by theme.
Managing Lithic Sites
Mentions East Sussex
New advice addresses research and management issues for sites where prehistoric stone tools contain unique evidence.
Historic England Reveals its Heritage at Risk Register 2024
Mentions East Sussex
Historic England has today revealed its Heritage at Risk Register 2024. This is a snapshot of the health of England’s historic buildings and places.
£750k Grant Kickstarts Madeira Terrace Restoration in Brighton
Mentions Madeira Terrace, Madeira Walk, lift tower and related buildings, Western Bandstand and Lavatories and Walls and Railings Opposite Bedford Square, The Corn Exchange and Dome Theatre
Historic England has committed £750,000 towards the restoration of Grade II* listed Madeira Terrace in Brighton, East Sussex.
Research Reports Roundup to February 2024
Mentions East Sussex
A roundup of new additions to the Historic England Research Reports database and a longer term overview of industrial heritage reports.
500 Years of Oasts and Hop Kilns in England
Mentions East Sussex
An overview of the research behind a recent Historic England book, which tells the story of hop processing.
Historic England Supports University of Sussex Plans for Listed Library
Mentions Library
Historic England supports plans to improve access to the University of Sussex’s Grade II* listed Library, designed by architect Sir Basil Spence.
New Funding to Uncover and Celebrate Working Class Heritage
Mentions East Sussex
Historic England's Everyday Heritage Grant programme is funding 56 new projects across the nation, telling the stories of working class heritage.
Wellbeing and Historic Environment: Why Bother?
Mentions East Sussex
Exploring the relationship between wellbeing and the historic environment.
Waves over Woodlands
Mentions East Sussex
Exploring remains of prehistoric landscapes preserved in England’s intertidal zone.
Revealing Lost Buildings at Bayham Old Abbey
Mentions East Sussex
New results shed light on the hidden monastic remains at Bayham Old Abbey in the Kent and Sussex borderlands.
The Serious Business of Holidaymaking
Mentions East Sussex
A look at the history of tourism and tourist destinations in Britain.
East Sussex's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area. Skip this section and go to grant-aided places
Wind Wheel, Punnetts Town, East Sussex
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
This unusual wind wheel supplied power to a circular saw in Mr C Cornford's carpenter's shop. The mechanism was installed around 1909 by F Neve & Sons.
Wind Wheel, Punnetts Town, East Sussex
West Parade, Bexhill, East Sussex
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This elegant promenade, which looks rather like a garden terrace, has not yet been cluttered with 'attractions'. The ornate structure is a bandstand.
West Parade, Bexhill, East Sussex
War Memorial, High Street, Lewes, East Sussex
Period: World War One (1914 - 1919)
This First World War memorial was built in 1920 by the architects March and March.
War Memorial, High Street, Lewes, East Sussex
Tregantle Fort, Antony, Cornwall
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Tregantle Fort dates from 1865. It was built as part of a larger scheme following the news that the French Navy were building iron-clad warships.
Tregantle Fort, Antony, Cornwall
Town Hall, Grove Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Interior of the Council Chamber with furnishings.
Town Hall, Grove Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
Interior view of the furnished assembly room at Eastbourne Town Hall.
Town Hall, Grove Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex
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Town Hall, Grove Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
General view from an elevated position of the main facade of the Town Hall. Eastbourne Town Hall was built 1880-1886 to designs by W Tadman Foulkes.
Town Hall, Grove Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Town Hall, Bartholomews, Brighton, Brighton and Hove
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
The Town hall was built in 1830-1832 and enlarged in 1897-99. It was designed by Thomas Cooper in Greek Revival style. The walls are covered in Stucco.
Town Hall, Bartholomews, Brighton, Brighton and Hove
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find historic places in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary. Skip this section and go to related locations
Kidbrooke Park, (Michael Hall School)
Kidbrooke Park, a registered Grade II* designed landscape, features the Mansion House and stables (The Clockhouse).
Austin Friars Chapel, Conduit Hill
The Austin Friary dates back to around 1380.
Discover more
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