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59-573: Wealden is a local government district in East Sussex , England. Its council is based in Hailsham , the district's second largest town. The district also includes the towns of Crowborough , Polegate and Uckfield , along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. The district's name comes from the Weald , the landscape and ancient woodland which occupies much of the centre and north of

118-833: A parish meeting rather than a parish council. The major trunk road is the A22 , London to Eastbourne; it is crossed by the A26 Maidstone – Lewes road at Uckfield; and the A267 Tunbridge Wells to Eastbourne road. There are also three west–east roads: the A259 coastal route; next inland is the A27 Pevensey– Brighton trunk road; and further to the north the A272 cross-country route to Winchester . The East Coastway Line , serving Eastbourne and Hastings , uses

177-434: A borough or district council. In these cases local government functions are divided between county and district councils, to the level where they can be practised most efficiently: Many districts have borough status , which means the local council is called a borough council instead of district council and gives them the right to appoint a mayor . Borough status is granted by royal charter and, in many cases, continues

236-510: A coalition of the Liberal Democrats and Greens . The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: The leaders of the council since 2001 have been: Following the 2023 election and subsequent changes of allegiance up to June 2024,

295-637: A distance of up to 7 mi (11 km) southwards. Viewed from high points further north in the High Weald and on the North Downs, the scarp of the South Downs presents itself as a steep wall that bounds the horizon, with its grassland heights punctuated with clumps of trees (such as Chanctonbury Ring ). In the west, the chalk ridge of the South Downs merges with the North Downs to form

354-425: A district will consist of a market town and its more rural hinterland. However districts are diverse with some being mostly urban such as Dartford, and others more polycentric such as Thurrock. Non-metropolitan districts are subdivisions of English non-metropolitan counties which have a two-tier structure of local government. Two-tier non-metropolitan counties have a county council and several districts, each with

413-692: A lowland grassland on the west and south facing scarp slopes of the Meon valley; and Beacon Hill, a high quality chalk grassland 5 km west of Old Winchester Hill. In 1923 the Society of Sussex Downsmen (now the South Downs Society) was formed with the aim of protecting the area's unique landscape. The South Downs are a popular area for ramblers with a network of over 2,000 mi (3,200 km) of well-managed, well-signed and easily accessible trails. The principal bridleway, and longest of them,

472-625: A poem "On the South Downs". The South Downs have been home to several writers, including Jane Austen who lived at Chawton on the edge of the Downs in Hampshire. The Bloomsbury Group often visited Monk's House in Rodmell , the home of Virginia Woolf in the Ouse valley. Alfred, Lord Tennyson , had a second home at Aldworth, on Blackdown ; geologically part of the Weald , Blackdown lies north of

531-488: A result there are many winterbournes along the northern edge. The South Downs are a long chalk escarpment that stretches for over 110 km (68 mi), rising from the valley of the River Itchen near Winchester, Hampshire , in the west to Beachy Head near Eastbourne , East Sussex , in the east. Behind the steep north-facing scarp slope, the gently inclined dip slope of undulating chalk downland extends for

590-457: A style enjoyed by a predecessor authority, which can date back centuries. Some districts such as Oxford or Exeter have city status , granted by letters patent , but this does not give the local council any extra powers other than the right to call itself a city council . By 1899, England had been divided at district level into rural districts , urban districts , municipal boroughs , county boroughs and metropolitan boroughs . This system

649-727: A thin band of cream-coloured nodular chalk known as the Melbourn Rock marking the boundary between the Lower and Middle units. The strata of southeast England, including the Chalk, were gently folded during a phase of the Alpine Orogeny to produce the Weald-Artois Anticline , a dome-like structure with a long east-west axis. Erosion has removed the central part of the dome, leaving the north-facing escarpment of

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708-491: A type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties (colloquially shire counties ) in a two-tier arrangement. Non-metropolitan districts with borough status are known as boroughs , able to appoint a mayor and refer to itself as a borough council. Some shire counties now have no sub divisions so are a single Non-metropolitan district such as Cornwall. Typically

767-441: A unitary authority or those that transferred from one county to another, including those that changed name. Nor does it include unitary authorities that have been abolished ( Bournemouth and Poole ). South Downs The South Downs are a range of chalk hills in the south-eastern coastal counties of England that extends for about 260 sq mi (670 km ) across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from

826-466: Is about a case that Holmes solves whilst living there. The author Graham Greene 's first published novel, The Man Within (1929), is set largely on and around the South Downs. The book's principal character, Andrews, travels by foot across the Downs to reach Lewes and attend the Assizes. Greene provides a detailed description of both the landscape and its 'feel'. The author H. G. Wells published

885-664: Is also a war memorial , The Chattri , dedicated to Indian soldiers who died in the Brighton area, having been brought there for treatment after being injured fighting on the Western Front in the First World War . Rudyard Kipling who lived in Rottingdean described the South Downs as "Our blunt, bow-headed whale-backed Downs". Writing in 1920 in his poem The South Country , poet Hilaire Belloc describes

944-596: Is also covered by civil parishes , which form a third tier of local government. In the parts of the district within the South Downs National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the South Downs National Park Authority . The district council appoints one of its councillors to serve on the 27-person National Park Authority. The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election, being led by

1003-455: Is from Old English dūn , meaning 'hill'. The word acquired the sense of 'elevated rolling grassland' around the 14th century. These hills are prefixed 'south' to distinguish them from another chalk escarpment , the North Downs , which runs roughly parallel to them about 30 mi (48 km) away on the northern edge of the Weald. The South Downs are formed from a thick band of chalk which

1062-469: Is required to achieve these objectives, which has been opposed by environmental groups. At the 2011 census the district had the highest proportion of home ownership of the 37 local authorities in Surrey, Sussex and Kent. This district is entirely divided into civil parishes . The parish councils for Crowborough, Hailsham, Polegate and Uckfield take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have

1121-595: Is the South Downs Way . The Monarch's Way , having originated at Worcester , crosses the South Downs and ends at Shoreham-by-Sea . Sports undertaken on the Downs include paragliding , mountain-biking , horse riding and walking . The popular Beachy Head Marathon (formerly Seven Sisters Marathon ), a hilly cross-country marathon, takes place each autumn on the eastern Downs, starting and finishing in Eastbourne. The South Downs Trail Marathon starts in

1180-835: Is the terminus of the Bluebell Railway , a heritage, steam railway line. A late medieval castle construction, moated Herstmonceux Castle , was begun in 1440. It is open to visitors and there are organised tours on a few summer days. The north of the district includes Ashdown Forest , which provided the inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood in the Winnie the Pooh stories by A. A. Milne , who lived in Hartfield. Non-metropolitan district Non-metropolitan districts , or colloquially " shire districts ", are

1239-604: The District Councils' Network , special interest group which sits within the Local Government Association . The network's purpose is to "act as an informed and representative advocate for districts to government and other national bodies, based on their unique position to deliver for local people." This is a list of two-tier non-metropolitan counties and their districts. All unitary authorities are also non-metropolitan districts, which, with

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1298-556: The Forest Way and Cuckoo Trail paths along disused railway lines https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-21/ Long-distance footpaths include the: South Downs Way Monarch's Way Sussex Border Path Wealdway . Wealden is served by BBC South East and ITV Meridian broadcasting from the Heathfield TV transmitter which is situated near Heathfield . Radio stations for

1357-572: The Greensand Ridge on the Weald 's western margins. A list of those points on the South Downs above 700 ft (210 m), going from west to east, is given below. Archaeological evidence has revealed that the Downs have been inhabited and utilised for thousands of years. Neolithic flint mines such as Cissbury , burial mounds such as the Devil's Jumps and Devil's Humps , and hill forts like Chanctonbury Ring are strong features in

1416-670: The Hampshire Downs . In the east, the escarpment terminates at the English Channel coast between Seaford and Eastbourne , where it produces the spectacular white cliffs of Seaford Head , the cross-section of dry valleys known as the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head , the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain at 162 m (531 ft) above sea level. The South Downs may be said to have three main component parts:

1475-671: The Itchen valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head , in the Eastbourne Downland Estate , East Sussex, in the east. The Downs are bounded on the northern side by a steep escarpment , from whose crest there are extensive views northwards across the Weald . The South Downs National Park forms a much larger area than the chalk range of the South Downs, and includes large parts of the Weald. The South Downs are characterised by rolling chalk downland with close-cropped turf and dry valleys , and are recognised as one of

1534-756: The South Downs , between which lies the Vale of Sussex, the lowlands of which are named the Pevensey Levels . The River Ouse , some of the tributaries of which originate in the district, is the border with the Lewes District ; and the River Cuckmere is wholly in Wealden. The district's coastline to the English Channel to the south is interrupted by Eastbourne . The River Rother rises on

1593-704: The Wealden Greensand , the Low Weald and the Pevensey Levels to the north and the South Hampshire Lowlands and South Coast Plain to the south. The downland is a highly popular recreational destination, particularly for walkers, horseriders and mountain bikers. A long distance footpath and bridleway , the South Downs Way , follows the entire length of the chalk ridge from Winchester to Eastbourne, complemented by many interconnecting public footpaths and bridleways. The term 'downs'

1652-732: The East Hampshire Downs, the Western Downs and the Eastern Downs, together with the river valleys that cut across them and the land immediately below them, the scarpfoot . The Western and Eastern Downs are often collectively referred to as the Sussex Downs . The Western Downs, lying west of the River Arun , are much more wooded, particularly on the scarp face, than the Eastern Downs. The bare Eastern Downs –

1711-644: The Hailsham building and sold the Crowborough building to Crowborough Town Council in 2016. Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 45 councillors representing 41 wards , with each ward electing one or two councillors. Elections are held every four years. Wealden District covers two main upland areas: the section of the High Weald within East Sussex; and the eastern end of

1770-417: The South Downs along its southern margin with the south-facing chalk escarpment of the North Downs as its counterpart on the northern side, as shown on the diagram. Between these two escarpments the anticline has been subject to differential erosion so that geologically distinct areas of hills and vales lie in roughly concentric circles towards the centre; these comprise the Greensand Ridge , most prominent on

1829-516: The South Downs as "the great hills of the South Country". In On The South Coast , poet Algernon Charles Swinburne describes the South Downs as "the green smooth-swelling unending downs". The naturalist-writer William Henry Hudson wrote that "during the whole fifty-three mile length from Beachy Head to Harting the ground never rises above a height of 850 feet, but we feel on top of the world". Poet Francis William Bourdillon also wrote

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1888-405: The South Downs but is included in the South Downs National Park. In the introduction to Arthur Conan Doyle 's short story collection His Last Bow , Dr. Watson states that Sherlock Holmes has retired to a small farm upon the Downs near Eastbourne. In the story "His Last Bow" itself, Holmes states that he "lives and keeps bees upon the South Downs". Furthermore, the short story " The Lion's Mane "

1947-601: The Vale of Sussex and has two station serving different sides of Pevensey in the district, which forms a generally suburban conurbation with Westham and a largely rural holiday and visitor coastline, Pevensey Bay . The other railway line is the Uckfield Branch Line from London Bridge. Wealden is crossed by a number of National Cycle Network routes: Route 2 (South Coast Cycle Route) https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-2/ Route 21 (London to Eastbourne) which makes use of

2006-401: The Weald and flows easterly to the east of Rye Bay. The Wealden basin contains significant reserves of shale oil, totalling 4.4 billion barrels of oil in Wealden and surrounding areas according to a 2014 study, which then Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon said "will bring jobs and business opportunities" and significantly help with UK energy self-sufficiency. Fracking in the area

2065-660: The area are: Major landmarks include the Seven Sisters and Cuckmere Haven along the coast; and the Long Man of Wilmington together with all of the paths over the South Downs National Park . Roman fortified hills can be found in the north of the area and Uckfield has a large architectural conservation area . Sheffield Park Garden is an informal landscape garden now owned by the National Trust but laid out by Capability Brown . Near to this

2124-510: The area has supported a large population, particularly during Romano-British times. There is a rich heritage of historical features and archaeological remains, including defensive sites, burial mounds and field boundaries. Within the South Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area there are thirty-seven Sites of Special Scientific Interest , including large areas of chalk grassland. The grazing of sheep on

2183-473: The area. Much of the district's landscape is recognised for its beauty; the south of the district includes part of the South Downs National Park , and the north of the district includes part of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The district has two sections of coastline, lying east and west of the neighbouring authority of Eastbourne , with the western section of coastline including

2242-454: The areas for Wales and England had been enacted separately and there were no Welsh metropolitan areas, the term 'non-metropolitan district' does not apply to Wales. A similar system existed in Scotland , which in 1975 was divided into regions and districts, this was also abolished in 1996 and replaced with a fully unitary system . In England most of the district councils are represented by

2301-630: The cliffs known as the Seven Sisters . The neighbouring districts are Eastbourne, Lewes , Mid Sussex , Tandridge , Sevenoaks , Tunbridge Wells and Rother . The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 . It covered the area of two former districts, which were both abolished at the same time: The new district was named Wealden after the landscape and woodland. Wealden District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by East Sussex County Council . The whole district

2360-491: The composition of the council was: The Liberal Democrats and Greens sit together as the "Alliance for Wealden" group, which forms the council's administration. Of the independent councillors, five sit as the "Independent Group", four form the "Independent Democrats" and two do not belong to a group. The next election is due in 2027. The council is based at the Council Offices on Vicarage Lane in Hailsham. The building

2419-466: The downland to graze. However, starting in 1940 with government measures during the Second World War to increase domestic food production – which continued into the 1950s - much grassland was ploughed up for arable farming, fundamentally changing the landscape and ecology, with the loss of much biodiversity. As a result, while old chalk grassland accounted for 40-50% of the eastern Downs before

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2478-604: The enquiry process a number of boundary questions were considered, so that the National Park contains areas not in the former AONBs, and vice versa. The South Downs contain a number of national nature reserves (NNRs). The NNRs on the Sussex Downs comprise Kingley Vale , near Chichester , said by Natural England to contain one of the finest yew forests in Europe, including a grove of ancient trees which are among

2537-487: The exception of those of Berkshire , are coterminous with non-metropolitan counties. For a full list of districts of all types including unitary authorities, metropolitan districts and London boroughs , see Districts of England . This is a list of former two-tier districts in England which have been abolished, by local government reorganisations such as the 2009 structural changes to local government in England . It does not include districts that still exist after becoming

2596-483: The government announced its decision to make the South Downs a national park on 31 March 2009. The South Downs National Park finally came into operation on 1 April 2011. Within its boundary are included not only the South Downs proper but also part of the western Weald , a geologically and ecologically quite different district. The South Downs National Park has replaced two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)s : East Hampshire AONB and Sussex Downs AONB . During

2655-412: The landscape. It has been estimated that the tree cover of the Downs was cleared over 3000 years ago, and the present closely grazed turf is the result of continual grazing by sheep. Proposals to create a national park for the South Downs date back to the 1940s. However, it was not until 1999 that the idea received firm government support. After a public enquiry that took place between 2003 and 2009,

2714-447: The most important chalk landscapes in England. The range is one of the four main areas of chalk downland in southern England . The South Downs are relatively less populated compared to South East England as a whole, although there has been large-scale urban encroachment onto the chalk downland by major seaside resorts, including most notably Brighton and Hove . The South Downs have been inhabited since ancient times and at periods

2773-469: The north side of the Weald, where it includes Leith Hill , the highest hill in south-east England, the low-lying clay vales of the Low Weald, formed of less resistant Weald Clay , and finally the more highly resistant sandstones of the High Weald at the centre of the anticline, whose elevated forest ridge includes most notably Ashdown Forest . The chalk, being porous, allows water to soak through; as

2832-484: The northern fringe of Friston Forest north-west of Eastbourne, one of the largest areas of chalk heath in Britain. The NNRs on the East Hampshire Downs comprise Butser Hill , near Petersfield, a large area of chalk grassland on the highest point in the South Downs (a large area is also designated as a scheduled monument reflecting its historical significance, particularly in the Bronze and Iron Ages); Old Winchester Hill ,

2891-406: The oldest living things in Britain (the reserve is also one of the most important archaeological sites in southern England, with 14 scheduled monuments ); Castle Hill , between Brighton and Lewes, an important example of ancient, traditionally managed grassland; Lewes Downs ( Mount Caburn ), a traditionally managed chalk downland (and also an important archaeological site); and Lullington Heath , on

2950-429: The only part of the chalk escarpment to which, until the late 19th century, the term "South Downs" was usually applied – have come to epitomise, in literature and art, the South Downs as a whole and which have been the subject matter of such celebrated writers and artists as Rudyard Kipling (the "blunt, bow-headed, whale-backed downs") and Eric Ravilious . Four river valleys cut through the South Downs, namely those of

3009-531: The rivers Arun, Adur , Ouse and Cuckmere , providing a contrasting landscape. Chalk aquifers and to a lesser extent winterbourne streams supply much of the water required by the surrounding settlements. Dew ponds , artificial ponds for watering livestock, are a characteristic feature on the downland. The highest point on the South Downs is Butser Hill , whose summit is 271 m (889 ft) above sea level. The plateau-like top of this irregularly shaped hill, which lies just south of Petersfield, Hampshire ,

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3068-617: The thin, well-drained chalk soils of the Downs over many centuries, and browsing by rabbits, resulted in the fine, short, springy turf, known as old chalk grassland , that has come to epitomise the South Downs today. Until the middle of the 20th century, an agricultural system operated by downland farmers known as 'sheep-and-corn farming' underpinned this: the sheep (most famously the Southdown breed) of villagers would be systematically confined to certain corn fields to improve their fertility with their droppings and then they would be let out onto

3127-526: The two-tier structure, but reforms in the 1990s and 2009 reduced their number to 192. A further 55 non-metropolitan districts are now unitary authorities, which combine the functions of county and borough/district councils. In Wales , an almost identical two-tier system of local government existed between 1974 and 1996 (see Districts of Wales ). In 1996, this was abolished and replaced with an entirely unitary system of local government, with one level of local government responsible for all local services. Since

3186-691: The village of Slindon (near Arundel) and ends at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park (to the south of Petersfield.) Longer events that take in the South Downs Way include a 100-mile running 'ultramarathon' and mountain biking 75 mile night time race from Beachy Head to Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Three of the landmarks on the Downs are the Long Man of Wilmington and the Litlington White Horse being chalk carved hill figures , and Clayton Windmills . There

3245-404: The war, only 3-4% survives. This and development pressures from the surrounding population centres ultimately led to the decision to create the South Downs National Park , which came into full operation on 1 April 2011, to protect and restore the Downs. The South Downs have also been designated as a National Character Area (NCA 125) by Natural England . It is bordered by the Hampshire Downs ,

3304-620: Was abolished by the London Government Act 1963 and the Local Government Act 1972 . Non-metropolitan districts were created by this act in 1974 when England outside Greater London was divided into metropolitan counties and non-metropolitan counties. Metropolitan counties were sub-divided into metropolitan districts and the non-metropolitan counties were sub-divided into non-metropolitan districts. The metropolitan districts had more powers than their non-metropolitan counterparts. Initially, there were 296 non-metropolitan districts in

3363-472: Was deposited during the Cretaceous Period between 100 and 66 million years ago within a shallow sea which extended across much of northwest Europe. The rock is composed of the microscopic skeletons of plankton which lived in the sea, hence its colour. The chalk has many fossils , and bands of flint occur throughout the formation. The Chalk is divided into the Lower, Middle and Upper Chalk,

3422-417: Was in regular use through prehistory. It has been designated as a national nature reserve . Within the boundary of the South Downs National Park, which includes parts of the western Weald to the north of the South Downs, the highest point is Blackdown , West Sussex, which rises to 280 m (919 ft) above sea level. However, Blackdown geologically is not part of the South Downs but instead forms part of

3481-500: Was purpose-built for the council and opened in 1982. When created in 1974 the council inherited two main offices from its predecessors: The council's staff were initially divided between the two buildings. The council moved its Hailsham office from Cortlandt to the new Council Offices on Vicarage Lane in 1982. The Crowborough office moved to a new building on Pine Grove in 1988, with Starfield subsequently being redeveloped for housing. The council subsequently consolidated its offices at

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