List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in East Sussex

File:East Sussex outline map with UK.png

East Sussex, and its location within the United Kingdom

This is a list of the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in East Sussex, a county in South East England. East Sussex is bordered by Kent to the north, and Surrey to the south, and has an estimated population of 757,600 within an area of 1,795 km² (443,554.2 acres), therefore making it the 28th largest ceremonial county in the United Kingdom.

As of 2008, there are 64 sites designated within this Area of Search, 46 of which have been designated for their biological interest, 14 for their geological interest, and 4 for both biological and geological interest.

In England, the body responsible for designating SSSIs is Natural England, which selects sites because of their flora, fauna, geological or physiographical features. Natural England took over the role of designating and managing SSSIs from English Nature in October 2006 when it was formed from the amalgamation of English Nature, parts of the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service.

East Sussex is, from a geological viewpoint, the southern anticline of the Weald. The South Downs contain numerous chalk hills, which continue along much of the southern area of the county. East Sussex is home to much marshland area, with large amounts to the east of Beachy Head.

The data in this table is taken from Natural England's website in the form of citation sheets for each SSSI.

Sites

Site name	Reason for designation		Area		Grid reference	Year in which notified	Map
	Biological interest	Geological interest	Hectares	Acres
Arlington Reservoir	Y		99.4	245.6	TQ535075	1985	Map
Asham Quarry		Y	2.8	7.0	TQ441059	1993	Map
Ashburnham Park	Y		273.5	110.7	TQ695148	1986	Map
Ashdown Forest	Y		3,144.6	7,770.3	TQ450300	1986	Map
Bingletts Wood	Y		15.8	39.2	TQ623211	1985	Map
Blackhorse Quarry		Y	0.1	0.4	TQ769142	1989	Map
Bream Wood	Y		7.6	18.7	TQ523329	1985	Map
Brede Pit and Cutting		Y	0.1	1.3	TQ832184	1990	Map
Brighton to Newhaven Cliffs	Y	Y	167.5	413.7	TQ390015	1986	Map
Burgh Hill Farm Meadow	Y		0.9	24.3	TQ537128	1984	Map
Buxted Park	Y		83.4	206.1	TQ488225	1989	Map
Castle Hill	Y		113.5	280.4	TQ370070	1986	Map
Chailey Common	Y		169.0	417.4	TQ390215	1985	Map
Clayton to Offham Escarpment	Y		379.3	937.2	TQ301136 & TQ400120	1986	Map
Combe Haven	Y		156.1	385.7	TQ770102	1985	Map
Dallington Forest	Y		16.2	40.0	TQ652208	1985	Map
Darwell Wood	Y		37.6	92.9	TQ710202	1986	Map
Ditchling Common	Y		63.6	157.1	TQ335183	1986	Map
Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay	Y		9,090.0	22,461.8	TR069201	1986	Map
Eridge Green	Y		8.4	20.7	TQ554358	1985	Map
Eridge Park	Y		390.1	963.9	TQ576344	1986	Map
Firle Escarpment	Y		301.3	744.6	TQ480061	1985	Map
Folkington Reservoir	Y		5.7	14.1	TQ564036	1987	Map
Fore Wood	Y		21.5	52.6	TQ753128	1984	Map
Hastingford Cutting		Y	0.1	0.2	TQ523259	1990	Map
Hastings Cliffs to Pett Beach	Y	Y	299.4	739.8	TQ872112	1990	Map
Heathfield Park	Y		40.8	100.8	TQ593210	1986	Map
Hemingfold Meadow	Y		4.9	12.1	TQ777149	1984	Map
Herstmonceux Park	Y		4.5	11.1	TQ650107	1986	Map
High Rocks		Y	3.2	7.9	TQ560382	1986	Map
High Woods	Y		33.5	82.7	TQ713100	1985	Map
Houghton Green Cliff		Y	0.1	0.3	TQ931224	1990	Map
Kingston Escarpment and Iford Hill	Y		64.4	159.1	TQ380080	1986	Map
Leasam Heronry Wood	Y		2.2	5.2	TQ907216	1983	Map
Lewes Brooks	Y		330.0	822.8	TQ410085 & TQ430075	1988	Map
Lewes Downs	Y		149.8	370.2	TQ437103	1986	Map
Lower Dicker		Y	0.1	0.2	TQ557111	1998	Map
Lullington Heath	Y		71.7	175.7	TQ545017	1986	Map
Maplehurst Wood	Y		31.6	78.0	TQ807134	1985	Map
Marline Valley Woods	Y		55.0	135.8	TQ780122	1986	Map
Milton Gate Marsh	Y		18.6	46.9	TQ541058	1991	Map
Northiam		Y	0.3	0.7	TQ829253	1998	Map
Offham Marshes	Y		38.1	94.1	TQ404118	1989	Map
Paines Cross Meadow	Y		3.6	9.0	TQ616238	1991	Map
Park Corner Heath	Y		3.5	8.7	TQ511149	1988	Map
Penn's Rocks	Y		10.1	25.0	TQ520348	1985	Map
Pevensey Levels	Y		3,501.0	8,650.9	TQ650070	1990	Map
Plashett Park Wood	Y		154.3	381.2	TQ460156	1985	Map
River Line		Y	1.8	4.6	TQ714190 & TQ719192	1997	Map
Rock Wood	Y		10.3	25.5	TQ471249	1985	Map
Rye Harbour	Y	Y	761.1	1,800.6	TQ935180	1984	Map
Sapperton Meadows	Y		14.6	36.1	TQ588195	1991	Map
Seaford to Beachy Head	Y	Y	1,102.0	2,723.1	TQ540970	1986	Map
Southerham Grey Pit		Y	8.4	20.8	TQ427090	1990	Map
Southerham Machine Bottom Pit		Y	1.6	3.9	TQ432090	1999	Map
Southerham Works Pit		Y	0.8	2.0	TQ426096	1996	Map
St. Dunstan's Farm Meadows	Y		10.2	25.2	TQ608193	1992	Map
Stockland Farm Meadows	Y		5.8	14.2	TQ527251	1992	Map
Waldron Cutting		Y	0.1	0.4	TQ552187	1990	Map
Weir Wood Reservoir	Y		83.5	206.3	TQ395347	1985	Map
Willingdon Down	Y		60.2	148.7	TQ578022	1986	Map
Willingford Meadows	Y		11.4	28.2	TQ655223	1990	Map
Wilmington Downs	Y		208.2	514.5	TQ545035	1986	Map
Winchelsea Cutting		Y	0.1	0.3	TQ902169	1990	Map

See also

• List of SSSIs by Area of Search

Notes

^A Data rounded to one decimal place.

^B Grid reference is based on the British national grid reference system, also known as OSGB36, and is the system used by the Ordnance Survey.

^C Those SSSIs with more than one OS grid reference are composed of multiple sections, separated by non-SSSI land.

^D Site notification consists of designating a site as an SSSI and consulting with the owner(s). This list uses the date notified under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

^E Link to maps using the Nature on the Map service provided by Natural England.

^F Clayton To Offham Escarpment site extends into the county of West Sussex and so can be found on the list of SSSIs in West Sussex.