Sussex Local Geological Sites
The geodiversity information initially available on this website will be based on a survey of Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGS) in Sussex between 2010 and 2012. These sites are also called Local Geological Sites.
Suitable sites were originally identified by a voluntary group working from the Booth Museum of Natural History in Brighton from 1993 to 2006. Then, in 2010, the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre working with West Sussex County Council, organised condition surveys for most West Sussex RIGS and updated site reports. In 2011 condition surveys of East Sussex RIGS were completed in partnership with East Sussex County Council. Most of the remaining RIGS sites in West Sussex were then surveyed in 2012. Of the 125 RIGS sites in Sussex, 120 have now been surveyed.
Initially, full information on the Local Geological Sites with public access will be made available. If possible information for other sites will be added subject to permission from the landowners.
Many of these sites are also designated as SSSI sites for their geological and/or biodiversity value by Natural England. The citations for these SSSIs, edited where appropriate, are quoted with the site descriptions.
Many are also sites designated under the Geoconservation Review (GCR) programme. Where the site accounts are available from the website they are quoted with the site descriptions. For some sites where online site accounts are not available, selected information derived from the published GCR volumes is included.
Navigation and controls
Legend button: displays key to displayed map layers and geological formations filter (toggle to hide/display)
Zoom controls: either control map scale with these or by mouse scroll
Click and drag to pan
Locate: zooms map to your current location (will require location services to be allowed)
Base map gallery: change the basemap - options include aerial, topographic (default) and streets
Overlying the geological formations layer, this map shows Sussex’s Local Geological Sites (LGS). Click on these to display a popup giving an overview of the site and a link to a detailed site account. The popup will also provide detail of the underlying geological formation (if displayed).
Dock popup: When open, popups can be ‘docked’ to the top-right of the map window while allowing continued navigation of the map.
To the right of the map there is a list of all LGS, click on these to zoom to, and highlight, the site on the map. The summary description and link to detailed description for the site will be displayed in the box beneath.
Sussex Geological Records (zoom-in to display)
These records are a means of identifying standard geological sites which have no formal conservation status (not LGS or SSSI). There are currently just under 6000 such records for Sussex.
N.B. Some records could refer to sites that no longer exist.
Local Geological sites
Amberley Castle footings and footpath
Ambersham Common SSSI
Asham Quarry, Beddingham
Ashdown Brickworks, Bexhill
B2110 Road Cutting, Turner's Hill
B2139 Road Cutting, Thakeham
Beeding Small Quarry, Upper Beeding
Black Rabbit Quarry, Arundel
Black Rock, Brighton
Blackhorse Quarry, Crowhurst
Bognor Common Quarry, Fittleworth
Bognor Foreshore
Bracklesham Bay, Chichester
Brede Pit and Cutting
Cadborough Cliff, Rye
Camber Dunes
Chantry Mill, Storrington
Charmandean Quarry, Worthing
Chichester Harbour, Dell Quay-Chichester Yacht Basin
Chichester Harbour, Ella Nore
Chichester Harbour, West of Longmere Point
Chiddingly Woods, Great Upon Little
Climping Sand Dune System
Coastal section: Beachy Head area
Coastal section: Belle Tout to Birling Gap
Coastal section: Birling Gap
Coastal section: Castle Hill To Old Nore Point
Coastal section: Cow Gap
Coastal section: Friars Bay To Brighton Marina
Coastal section: Holywell Sections and Foyle Track
Coastal section: Hope Gap Steps Cuckmere Haven
Coastal section: Rye Harbour Shingle Deposits
Coastal section: Seaford Head
Coastal section: Seven Sisters
Cocking Chalk Pit
Cocking Wind Gap
Codmore Hill, Pulborough
Combe Croft Quarry, Henfield
Coppedhall Hanger, Billingshurst
Cote Bottom, High Salvington
Cow Wood, Handcross
Dallington Forest, Brightling
Darwell Stream Cackle Street
Devil's Dyke
Duncton Chalk Quarry
Eartham Pit, Boxgrove
Elsted Road Cutting
Eridge Rocks, Eridge Green
Felpham Foreshore, Bognor Regis
Fittleworth Railway Cutting
Founthill, Newick
Freckley Hollow, Battle
Freshfield Lane Brickworks
Galley Hill, Bexhill
Gaster Pit 7, Sompting
Glen Andred Rocks, Groombridge
Golding Barn Quarry, Upper Beeding
Harrison's Rocks
Hastingford Cutting, Hadlow Down
Hastings to Pett Beach SSSI
Heath End Sand Pit
High Rocks, Frant
Hill Barn Pit, North Lancing
Hook Quarry, West Hoathly
Horton Clay Pit, Small Dole
Houghton Greencliff, Rye
Jacket's Hill, Abingworth
James's Quarry, Easebourne
Keymer Tileworks, Burgess Hill
Lake Wood Rocks, Uckfield
Lavant Stone Quarry
Laybrook Brickworks, Thakeham
Lewes Downs Area
Little Galley Hill, Bexhill
Marehill Quarry, Pulborough
Marline Valley Woods, Hastings
Newtimber Chalk Quarry
Northiam quarry
Novington Sand Quarry, Plumpton
Pagham Harbour
Park Farm Cutting, Pulborough
Philpots Quarry, West Hoathly
Quarry near Ashburnham Furnace
River Line, Netherfield
Rock Common Sand Quarry, Washington
Rock Pond, Standean
Rock View, Wakehurst and Chiddingly Woods
Rock Walk, Wakehurst and Chiddingly Woods
Rocks Park, Uckfield
Rocks Wood, near Groombridge
Rudgwick Brickworks
Saddlescombe Chalk Pit
Scaynes Hill Quarry and road cutting
Selsey East Beach, Chichester
Shoreham Cement Works, Beeding
Slindon Common Gravel Pit
Slinfold Stream and Quarry
Stanmer Village
Steyning Bowl
Steyning Round Hill
Stone Hill Farm Rocks, East Grinstead
Tarring Neville Quarry
The Goldstone, Hove Park
The Hermitage, High Hurstwood
The Rocks, Ashurst Wood
Waldron Cutting, Tullaghmore
Warminghurst Road Cutting, Ashington
Warnham Brick Pit, Horsham
Warningcamp Quarry
Washington Chalk Pit, Horsham
West Hoathly Brickworks, Sharpthorne
West Hoathly landslip
Whitemans Green, Cuckfield
Winchelsea Cutting
Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2024
Important information about visiting Sussex Local Geological Sites
Sussex Local Geological Sites (LGSs) are geological sites that are important for historical, scientific research or educational reasons. The Sussex GeoDiversity Partnership, English Nature and Local Authorities work together to protect and maintain them for these purposes.
They are NOT designated fossil or mineral collecting sites.
Before viewing the details of LGSs you should accept a 'Code of Conduct' for their protection:
- Notification of a site as an LGS confers no public right of entry to any land without the permission of the landowner.
- When field trips are organised to privately-owned sites, participation will only be by agreement with an appointed field trip leader whose instructions must be obeyed at all times. Failure to do so may bar a person from participating in future trips.
- Where there is general public access to the site, hammering of rock faces is not permitted unless specific permission is given to do so. Collecting must be confined to scree at the foot of exposures.
- The LGS descriptions provided in this website are derived from the site survey reports.