West Sussex Postcodes — England (ENG)

West Sussex

The county of West Sussex is located in southeast England, right on the coast of the English Channel. Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, and Mid Sussex, along with the cities of Crawley and Worthing, make up the shire districts that make up the ceremonial county of Sussex. West Sussex, which encompasses a total area of about 2,000 square kilometers (7,600 square miles), is bounded to the west by Hampshire, to the north by Surrey, and to the east by East Sussex. Located in the southwestern corner of West Sussex, Chichester serves as both the county seat and the county's lone city. Despite being part of the ceremonial County of Sussex, this became official with the creation of West Sussex County Council in 1889. The ceremonial role of the medieval county of Sussex was split between West Sussex and East Sussex following the reorganization of local administration in 1974. East Sussex and West Sussex took over, with East Sussex handing up Mid Sussex and a portion of Crawley to West Sussex. It was estimated that 806,900 people live in West Sussex in 2011.

Humans have been living in this county since the Lower Paleolithic period. After defeating the local Britons, the Romans made West Sussex part of their empire. In 477, the Saxons established a kingdom there called Sussex, which lasted until c. 827, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of Wessex.

The landscape of West Sussex varies from wealden to downland to coastline. At 280 meters, Blackdown is the county's highest peak (919 ft). There are many beautiful manor houses and castles in the area, including Goodwood, Petworth House, Uppark, and Arundel Castle and Bramber Castle. Half of the county is designated as a conservation area, perfect for hiking, biking, and other outdoor pursuits.

Geography of West Sussex

The counties of Hampshire and Surrey lie to the west, while East Sussex is to the north. To the south is the English Channel. The Weald-Artois Anticline, of which this region is a part, is composed of the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous rock layers that have been folded and thrust into place. The Weald in Kent, Sussex, and Surrey, located toward the ridge's eastern end, has been severely eroded, exposing older Lower Cretaceous rocks of the Wealden Group.  Blackdown, the county's highest point, is located in the Lower Greensand ridges that run parallel to the boundary with Surrey and get progressively older as you move north in West Sussex. Softer sand and clay layers have been eroded away, leaving a north-facing scarp slope of the chalk that runs east to west across the entire county, interrupted only by the valleys of the Rivers Arun and Adur. A winterbourne, the River Lavant, flows sporadically from springs on the dip slope of the chalk downs north of Chichester, joining the Arun and Adur to drain the county. 

At 1.52 percent of England's total land area, the county ranks as the country's 30th largest.

Climate of West Sussex

According to data from the Met Office, West Sussex is the sunniest region in the entire United Kingdom. Between 1981 and 2011, there was an average of 1902 annual sunlight hours. Bognor Regis regularly has the highest sunshine totals on mainland England, with 2237 hours recorded that year. For the southern coastal counties, the average yearly temperature is close to 11 degrees Celsius. In January, when temperatures are at their lowest, the average low during the day is only 3 degrees Celsius, closer to the coast, and even lower inland. Mean daily maxima in July often hover around 20 °C, making it the hottest month of the year. On June 26, 1976, North Heath, Pulborough reached a high of 35.4 degrees Celsius. Sea breezes may be quite refreshing, especially when combined with the milder temperatures found near the coast. 

Most of the year's precipitation falls between October and March, with July often being the driest month. It doesn't rain as much during summer convective showers and thunderstorms as it does inland. Localized flooding due to excessive rainfall, and water shortages due to extended periods of below-average rainfall, are both possible in the county. The majority of the water supply comes from underground chalk aquifers, which can only be replenished by rain in the winter.