West Sussex West Sussex, with the largest towns being Crawley, Worthing and Horsham. West Sussex has a range of scenery, including wealden, downland and coastal. The highest point of the county is Blackdown, at 280 metres (919 ft). It has a number of stately homes including Goodwood, Petworth House and Uppark and also castles such as Arundel Castle and Bramber Castle. Over half the county is protected countryside, offering walking, cycling and other recreational opportunities. Although the name Sussex, derived from the Old English 'Sūþsēaxe' ('South Saxons'), dates from the Saxon period between AD 477 to 1066, the history of human habitation
Geology of West Sussex gained from within the Folkestone and Hythe formations for use as either aggregate or construction sand. Ironstone was worked historically in the Weald Clay Formation for the production of iron. Certain locations in West Sussex are afforded some protection against developments which may be detrimental to their geological interest through being designated as one or more of the following: A geodiversity survey of the whole of Sussex carried out by the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre with West Sussex County Council between 2010 and 2012 produced many locations which are now afforded recognition as 'Local geological sites' (formerly referred to as