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	County Town: Lewes County Population: 750,000 (estimate)
	East Sussex is mainly rural with urban growth on the coast, where resort, retirement and dormitory towns for London have developed. The Ashdown Forest in the north of the county is one of the largest and most important areas of heathland vegetation in south east England. East Sussex is crossed by the chalk South Downs that terminate at Beachy Head. Both the Ashdown Forest and the Sussex Downs are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
	Early settlers in East Sussex lived on the chalk uplands. Plentiful timber and iron ore deposits allowed the development of a prehistoric iron industry. Saxon invasion during the 5th century established the Kingdom of the South Saxons, from which the name "Sussex" derives. The Danes sporadically attacked the area until Canute II established peace early in the 11th century. William, Duke of Normandy, landed at Pevensey Bay, in 1066 and marched inland to defeat Harold II, King of England at the Battle of Hastings.
	By the 15th century the Sussex Weald was the prime centre of the English iron manufacture. The Sussex iron industry died out during the 18th century as production moved to the coal rich Midlands. Agriculture continued to support the county until the 19th century when London aristocrats developed the coastal towns as holiday resorts.
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