Sussex (The Buildings of England)

Sussex turns away from nearby London, towards the sea and the massive ridge of the South Downs. Its coastal resorts are particularly distinguished, nowhere more so than at Brighton where Nash's orientalizing Pavilion sets the tone. Elsewhere castles and fortified town walls along the coast attest to Sussex's military past; Chichester cathedral and Battle Abbey to its medieval endowments. In East Sussex, 12th century churches are important survivals in villages also rich in the timber-framed houses for which Sussex is famous. On a grander scale, there are atmospheric country houses such as Petworth House and Uppark. The 20th century makes its mark in the sober and dignified Festival Theatre at Chichester, the exhilarating De la Warr Pavilion at Bexhill, and the uncompromising forms of the University of Sussex campus.