Full Answer
Where is West Sussex in the UK?
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering East Sussex (with Brighton and Hove) to the east, Hampshire to the west and Surrey to the north, and to the south the English Channel. West Sussex is the western part of the historic county of Sussex, formerly a medieval kingdom.
Where is Wessex located?
At times its land extended north of the River Thames, and it eventually expanded westward to cover Devon and Cornwall. The name Wessex is an elision of the Old English form of “West Saxon.”
What is the difference between East Essex and Wessex?
Essex was the home of the East Saxons. Wessex was the home of Alfred and the West Saxons. Sussex the South Saxons and Middlesex the Middle Saxons.
What is West Sussex famous for?
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 castles such as Arundel Castle and Bramber Castle.
Is West Sussex the same as Wessex?
In the 9th century, Sussex was ruled by the West Saxons. It would appear that the ultimate intention of Æthelwulf of Wessex was for the kingdom of Wessex and the eastern regions of Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Essex to become separate kingdoms, with separate but related royal dynasties.
What region is Wessex in?
South East regionHEE Wessex is part of the South East region. Wessex covers a broad area; spanning across Hampshire, Isle of Wight, South Wiltshire, Dorset and the Channel Islands.
What is Wessex called now?
Wessex, one of the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, whose ruling dynasty eventually became kings of the whole country. In its permanent nucleus, its land approximated that of the modern counties of Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Somerset.
Is Wessex in the West?
Wessex (/ˈwɛsɪks/; Old English: Ƿestseaxna rīċe [ˈwestsæɑksnɑ ˈriːtʃe], 'the Kingdom of the West Saxons') was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of Great Britain, from 519 until England was unified by Æthelstan in 927. The Anglo-Saxons believed that Wessex was founded by Cerdic and Cynric, but this may be a legend.
What is the capital of Wessex?
WinchesterThe West Saxon episcopal see was removed there from Dorchester in the 7th century, and Winchester became the capital of the kingdom of Wessex. Under the Saxon bishops and Alfred the Great (ruled 871–899), Winchester became a centre of learning.
Does Wessex exist today?
The earldom was recently revived for His Royal Highness The Prince Edward. "Wessex" has not had any official existence since that time, but it has remained a familiar term since Thomas Hardy revived it for his West Country novels and poetry. Today some wish to see it restored as a region of England.
Was London in Wessex or Mercia?
The Danes were ousted from the city by Alfred the Great in 886, and Alfred made London a part of his kingdom of Wessex. In the years following the death of Alfred, however, the city fell once more into the hands of the Danes. The Danes did not have it all their own way.
Is Oxford in Wessex?
Immediately after the death of the ealdorman Ethelred and the annexation of Oxford by Edward the Elder (911–12), Oxford is included along with Buckinghamshire in the kingdom of Wessex, and it is probable that it formed part of the ealdormanry of Essex in the 10th century.
Is Bristol in Wessex?
It is more than 600 miles long in its entirety, but the section within Wessex runs from Bristol via Wells to Yeovil in Somerset, through Charmouth and Bridport in Dorset, then to Wincanton in Somerset and just north of Salisbury in Wiltshire before passing on into Hampshire and Sussex.
When was England called Wessex?
The kingdom of Wessex was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons in South West England, from the 6th century until the emergence of a united English state under the Wessex dynasty in the 10th century.
What is modern day Mercia?
Mercia originally comprised the border areas (modern Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and northern West Midlands and Warwickshire) that lay between the districts of Anglo-Saxon settlement and the Celtic tribes they had driven to the west.
What country is Mercia now?
Mercia (Old English: Mierce, "border people"; IPA: [ˈmɜːʃiə]) was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy, centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in what is now the Midlands of England.
Where is Wessex located?
Wessex ( / ˈwɛsɪks /; Old English: Westseaxna rīċe [ˈwestsæɑksnɑ ˈriːtʃe], 'the Kingdom of the West Saxons') was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of Great Britain, from 519 until England was unified by Æthelstan in 927. The Anglo-Saxons believed that Wessex was founded by Cerdic and Cynric, but this may be a legend.
Who founded Wessex?
The Anglo-Saxons believed that Wessex was founded by Cerdic and Cynric, but this may be a legend. The two main sources for the history of Wessex are the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the West Saxon Genealogical Regnal List, which sometimes conflict.
What was the name of the king of England in 830?
He thereby became the Bretwalda, or high king of Britain. This position of dominance was short-lived, as Wiglaf returned and restored Mercian independence in 830, but the expansion of Wessex across south-eastern England proved permanent.
What does "west Saxon" mean?
For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxons, see Wessex (disambiguation). Wessex ( / ˈwɛsɪks /; Old English: Westseaxna rīċe [ˈwestsæɑksnɑ ˈriːtʃe], 'the Kingdom of the West Saxons') was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of Great Britain, from 519 until England was unified by Æthelstan in 927.
Where was Wessex in the Bronze Age?
From the Neolithic onwards the chalk downland of the area that would become Wessex was traversed by the Harrow Way, which can still be traced from Marazion in Cornwall to the coast of the English Channel near Dover, and was probably connected with the ancient tin trade. In the Late Neolithic, the ceremonial sites of Avebury and Stonehenge were completed on Salisbury Plain, but the final phase of Stonehenge was erected by the so-called " Wessex culture " of the Middle Bronze Age ( c. 1600–1200 BC ). The area has many other earthworks and erected stone monuments from the Neolithic and Early Bronze periods, including the Dorset Cursus, an earthwork 10 km (6 mi) long and 100 m (110 yd) wide, which was oriented to the midwinter sunset. Although agriculture and hunting were pursued during this long period, there is little archaeological evidence of human settlements. By the Iron Age, Celtic British tribes such as the Durotriges, Atrebates, Belgae and Dobunni occupied the future Wessex.
What is the northern boundary of Wessex?
As a result of the Mercian conquest of the northern portion of its early territories in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, the Thames and the Avon now probably formed the northern boundary of Wessex, while its heartland lay in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Dorset and Somerset.
Which kingdom did Wessex control?
During this period Wessex continued its gradual advance to the west, overwhelming the British kingdom of Dumnonia ( Devon ). At this time Wessex took de facto control over much of Devon, although Britons retained a degree of independence in Devon until at least the 10th century.
Which English county names end with "sex"?
English county names that end in 'sex', such as Essex and Sussex were Saxon, E ast Anglia (say Norfolk and Suffolk - the North and South folk), were Anglian and the Jutes were supposed to have settled in Kent and the Isle of Wight.
Is the Anglo-Saxon chronicle a contemporary document?
The Anglo-Saxon chronicle (not a contemporary document, and theref. Continue Reading. The true distinction between the Saxons, Jutes and Angles is, I believe, mainly hype from much later generations, The reality is far more complex and not really clearly defined for history. There is strong evidence that the areas in modern Germany ...
Did the Saxons have nosex?
The traditional answer is that the Saxons of the north had Nosex, and so they didn’t last very long. In fact the people who settled most of the midlands and north of England seem to have called themselves Angles. The relationship between the Angles and the Saxons is a bit unclear: the Saxons were a confederacy of tribes and it seems ...
What is the kingdom of Wessex?
Wessex, one of the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, whose ruling dynasty eventually became kings of the whole country. In its permanent nucleus, its land approximated that of the modern counties of Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Somerset. At times its land extended north of the River Thames, and it eventually expanded westward to cover Devon ...
Where did Wessex grow?
Wessex grew from two settlements: one was founded, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, by Cerdic and his son (or grandson) Cynric, who landed in Hampshire in 494 or 495 and became kings in 500 or 519; the other, known only from archaeological evidence, was situated on the upper Thames and was probably settled from the northeast.
What kingdom threatened Wessex?
During this period, Wessex was threatened first by Northumbria and then by the growing midland kingdom of Mercia. Cynegils and his son Cwichelm lost the provinces of the Hwicce (Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and southwest Warwickshire) to Penda of Mercia.
What is the origin of the name Wessex?
At times its land extended north of the River Thames, and it eventually expanded westward to cover Devon and Cornwall. The name Wessex is an elision of the Old English form of “West Saxon.”. Alfred. Alfred, king of Wessex (reigned 871–899). © SeraphP/Shutterstock.com. Britannica Quiz.
Who held the Wessex region?
These regions were held by the Mercians from 661 to 686, and, according to the Venerable Bede’s Historia ecclesiastica, Wessex was temporarily divided among subkings after Cenwalh’s death. During this period, however, kings of Wessex won victories over the Britons, expanding steadily westward.
Who was the first West Saxon king to issue a code of laws?
Ine (reigned 688–726), the first West Saxon king to issue a code of laws, placed a see at Sherborne (Dorset) for the western areas. Mercian dominance over Wessex, which included direct control of parts of Berkshire and Wiltshire, ended with the accession of Egbert (reigned 802–839).
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Overview
West Sussex is a county in South East England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the shire districts of Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, and Mid Sussex, and the boroughs of Crawley and Worthing. Covering an area of 1,991 square kilometres (769 sq mi), West Sussex borders Hampshire to the west, Surrey to the north, and East Sussex to the east. The county town and only city in West Sussex is Chichester, located in the south-west of the county. This was legally fo…
History
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 in Sussex goes back to the Old Stone Age. The oldest hominin remains known in Britain were found at Eartham Pit, Boxgrove. Sussex has been occupied since those times and has succumbed to various invasions and migrations throughout its long history. Prehistoric monuments include the Devil's Jumps, a g…
Settlements
Most settlements in West Sussex are either along the south coast or in Mid Sussex, near the M23/A23 corridor. The town of Crawley is the largest in the county with an estimated population of 106,600. The coastal settlement of Worthing closely follows with a population of 104,600. The seaside resort of Bognor Regis and market town Horsham are both large towns. Chichester, the county town, has a cathedral and city status, and is situated not far from the border with Hampshire. …
Geography
West Sussex is bordered by Hampshire to the west, Surrey to the north and East Sussex to the east. The English Channel lies to the south. The area has been formed from Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous rock strata, part of the Weald–Artois Anticline. The eastern part of this ridge, the Weald of Kent, Sussex and Surrey has been greatly eroded, with the chalk surface removed to expose older Lower Cretaceous rocks of the Wealden Group. In West Sussex the exposed rock b…
Land economy
West Sussex developed distinctive land uses along with its neighbours in the weald. The Landrace cattle transformed into Sussex cattle and Sussex chickens emerged about the time of the Roman conquest. Some of the earliest evidence of horses in Britain has been found at Boxgrove, dated to 500,000 BC. Viticulture is a part of the economy, with wineries producing mainly sparkling wine of varied quality.
Communications and transport
The M23 Motorway runs from London to the south of Crawley. The A23 and A24 roads run from London to Brighton and Worthing respectively with the A29 a little further west ending in Bognor Regis. Other major roads are the A272 which runs east to west through the middle of the county and the A27 which does the same but closer to the coast. The A259 is a local alternate route to the A27 in the eastern coastal strip.
Politics
Since the 2015 general election, West Sussex has been represented entirely by Conservative Members of Parliament (MPs).
West Sussex County Council (WSCC) is the authority that governs the non-metropolitan county of West Sussex. The county contains 7 district and borough councils (Adur, Arun, Chichester, Crawley, Horsham, Mid Sussex and Worthing), and 159 town, parish and neighbourhood councils.
Places of interest
• Chichester Harbour
• Pagham Harbour – A protected area of wetland that is an important feeding ground for birds.
• RSPB Pulborough Brooks
• Selsey Bill
Overview
Wessex was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of Great Britain, from 519 until England was unified by Æthelstan in 927.
The Anglo-Saxons believed that Wessex was founded by Cerdic and Cynric, but this may be a legend. The two main sources for the history of Wessex are the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the West Saxon Genealogical Regnal List, which so…
History
From the Neolithic onwards the chalk downland of the area that would become Wessex was traversed by the Harrow Way, which can still be traced from Marazion in Cornwall to the coast of the English Channel near Dover, and was probably connected with the ancient tin trade. In the Late Neolithic, the ceremonial sites of Avebury and Stonehenge were completed on Salisbury Plain, …
Symbols
Wessex is often symbolised by a wyvern or dragon.
Both Henry of Huntingdon and Matthew of Westminster talk of a golden dragon being raised at the Battle of Burford in 752 by the West Saxons. The Bayeux Tapestry depicts a fallen golden dragon, as well as a red/golden/white dragon at the death of King Harold II, who was previously Earl of Wessex. Dragon standar…
Cultural and political identity in modern times
Thomas Hardy used a fictionalised Wessex as a setting for many of his novels, adopting his friend William Barnes' term Wessex for their home county of Dorset and its neighbouring counties in the south and west of England. Hardy's Wessex excluded Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, but the city of Oxford, which he called "Christminster", was visited as part of Wessex in Jude the Obscure. He gave each of his Wessex counties a fictionalised name, such as with Berkshire, which is known i…
See also
• Heptarchy
• Earl of Wessex
• List of monarchs of Wessex
Footnotes
1. ^ Peter Hunter Blair (2003). An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England. Cambridge University Press. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-521-53777-3.
2. ^ Blair 2003, pp. 2–3
3. ^ Blair 2003, p. 3
4. ^ Yorke 1995, p. 11
Bibliography
• Blair, Peter Hunter (17 July 2003). An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England (Third ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-53777-3
• Yorke, Barbara (1995). Wessex in the Early Middle Ages. A&C Black. ISBN 978-0-7185-1856-1.
External links
• The Burghal Hidage
• Thomas Hardy's Wessex Research site by Dr Birgit Plietzsch
• The History Files: Kings of the West Saxons
• Wessex Law Academy