Page 67 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

KENT AND SUSSEX  65

KENT AND SUSSEX

England’s southeast corner has been a point of
arrival for newcomers throughout history,
including Iron Age Celts, Romans, Saxons,
Christian missionaries and countless European
visitors. Some landed on the region’s long beaches while others arrived through its
many fine harbours. A gentle climate, lush green countryside and close proximity
to the capital city have made this region an ideal base for settlers and tourists alike.

The great white chalk cliffs of Dover and As London consolidated its status as
Beachy Head are the foremost symbols of a national hub, the counties between
the Kent and Sussex coast. Inland, green the city and the coast became favoured
fields and woodlands are divided by three locations for monarchs and aristocrats to
great chalk ridges running east to west, build their country homes, and so Kent
the North and South Downs and, between and Sussex have an exceptional range of
them, the slightly lower Weald. Iron Age romantic castles and grand mansions, such
people were the only settlers to prefer the as majestic Arundel Castle and Knole, with
tops of the Downs for the security given its 365 rooms and deer park. Kent is also
by their high altitude; later inhabitants all known as the “Garden of England” due to
preferred the softer settings lower down. the fertility of its fruit farms and the beauty
The Romans arrived in Kent in the of its spectacular gardens, from world-
1st century AD and built towns and villas famous examples such as Sissinghurst
between the coast and their new city to small gems like Ightham Mote.
of Londinium. A notable example of one of Around the coast, ports such as Dover,
these villas is Fishbourne, near Chichester. Hastings and Rye – now far from the sea –
In the 6th century, St Augustine came grew rich in the Middle Ages on continental
to Kent to convert the Anglo-Saxons to trade. More recently, this shoreline became
Christianity, and he made Canterbury the one of the first centres of the seaside
centre of the English Church. Kent and holiday, with long shingle beaches and
Sussex have other fine churches, notably a range of resorts from brash Margate to
the cathedrals at Chichester and Rochester. the jewel of the coast, bohemian Brighton.

Walkers following the South Downs Way at spectacular Beachy Head, near Eastbourne in East Sussex
Brighton’s majestic Royal Pavilion, transformed into a pleasure palace by King George IV

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