Old Ordnance Survey Maps of East Sussex
This page summarises the local government organisation of East Sussex since 1889.
East Sussex County Council was formed in 1889, and in 1894 a network of boroughs, urban district and rural district councils was formed across the county.
East Sussex had two Municipal Boroughs dating from 1836 (or before): Hastings and Rye. Brighton became a Municipal Borough in 1854, Lewes in 1881, Eastbourne in 1883, Hove in 1898, and Bexhill in 1902.
Brighton and Hastings became County Boroughs, and so independent of East Sussex County Council, in 1889. Eastbourne became a County Borough in 1911.
From 1894 there were also 10 Urban Districts: Battle, Bexhill, Burgess Hill, Cuckfield, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath, Hove, Newhaven, Seaford,
and Uckfield UDCs. A new urban district was created for Portslade-by-Sea in 1898. Urban Districts had similar powers to boroughs but lacked the
powers to appoint mayors or aldermen.
As mentioned above, Bexhill and Hove UDs became Municipal Boroughs in 1902 and 1898 respectively.
There was some reorganisation in 1934. Battle UDC and Uckfield UDC were absorbed by their Rural Districts. Haywards Heath UD was absorbed by Cuckfield UD.
There were also 12 Rural District Councils covering the areas outside the major towns. These were: Battle, Chailey, Cuckfield, Eastbourne*, East Grinstead*, Hailsham, Hastings*,
Newhaven*, Rye*, Steyning East (abolished 1928), Ticehurst*, and Uckfield Rural Districts.
Most Rural Districts were initially based on the Poor Law Unions, with meetings held at the workhouse.
In 1934 there was a reorganisation and the Rural Districts marked * were abolished and merged into adjacent districts.
In 1974 major reorganisation saw the urban and rural districts abolished and a 2-tier structure established, with the County Council and seven Districts:
Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings. Hove, Lewes, Rother and Wealden.
Burgess Hill, Cuckfield (incl Haywards Heath) and East Grinstead were transferred to West Sussex from East Sussex.
In 1974 West Sussex and East Sussex became separate ceremonial counties.
The county town is Lewes.
In 1997 Brighton and Hove districts merged, becoming Brighton & Hove, and this became a unitary council. It was granted city status in 2000.
For a list of our West Sussex maps go to the West Sussex page, or for East Sussex to the
East Sussex page. For a full list of English maps, return to the England page
You can order maps direct from our On-line Mapshop.
Minor changes are not listed here, but please advise us of any significant errors or omissions.
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The Godfrey Edition / sales@alangodfreymaps.co.uk / 28 November 2016