Map of Sussex engraved by Peter Keer, 1620

‘A Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World’ (London, 1646) describes each county of England in about 1,000 words. The map above has many curiosities: Old Winchelsey drowned, the British Sea but, perhaps for us in Wadehurst, lying between us and Mayfeild is shown Buckhurst - surely not ‘the ancient hamlet of Buckhurst’ so lovingly re-created by the developers in their planning application for Buckhurst Place?

In his account of Sussex the anonymous author says: "The aire is good, though somewhat clouded with mists, which arise forth of her South bordering Sea, who is very prodigall unto her for Fish and Sea-fowle, though as sparing for Harbours or Ships arrivage, and those which she hath, as uncertaine for con­tinuance, as dangerous for entrance. Rich is the Soile and yeeldeth great plentie of all things necessary, but very ill for travellers, especially in the winter, the Land lying low and the wayes very deep, whose middle tract is garnished with meadows, pastures, and Cornfields; the Sea-coast with Hilles which are called the Downs, abundantly yeelding both Graine, and Grasse, and the North-side overshadowed with pleasant Groves and thick Woods, where sometimes stood the famous wood Andradswald.... The place of most account in this Shire is Chichester, by the Britaines called Caercei, a Citie beautifull and large, and very well walled about, first built by Cissa the second King of the South-Saxons, wherein his Royall Palace was kept.... With whom for frequencie, bignesse, and building, the Towne Lewes seemeth to contend.... (At the battle of Hastings or Senlac) Harold the King lost his life, among sixtie seven thousand, nine hundred seventie foure English men besides; whose bloud so spilt, gave name to the place, in French Sangue lac. And the soile naturally after raine becoming of a reddish colour, caused William of Newbery untruely to write, That if there fell any small sweet showers in the place where so great a slaughter of the English-men was made, pre­sently sweateth forth very fresh bloud out of the earth, as if the evidence thereof did plainly declare the voice of bloud there shed, and cried still from the earth unto the Lord.... The commodities of this Province are many and divers, both in Corne, Cattle, Woods, Iron, and Glasse; which two last, as they bring great gaine to their posses­sors, so doe they impoverish the Countie of Woods, whose want will be found in ages to come, if not at this present in some sort felt."

A Sussex Countryman’s Lament