West Sussex

West Sussex, nonmetropolitan county (1991 pop. 692,800), 768 sq mi (1,990 sq km), S England. A chalk ridge runs from the county's east to west edge. In the south the land flattens into a gentle plain. After early Roman invasions, the Saxons moved across Sussex. The Normans deposed them, leaving behind monasteries and castles. West Sussex is essentially a resort area; Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, and Worthing are the most popular tourist spots.

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West Sussex

Administrative county (pop., 2001: 753,612), southeastern England. It borders the English Channel, and its administrative centre is Chichester. There is evidence of settlements dating from prehistoric times in the region. A dynasty of British chieftains was in the area just before the Roman invasion. After the Romans left, Saxon invaders conquered Sussex in the late 5th century. They were overcome by the peoples of neighbouring Wessex and later by the Normans, who built castles and monasteries. Since the beginning of the 14th century, the growth of seaside resorts has been important in the development of the area's coast; inland, much of it remains rural.