16/06/2026
Happy Sussex Day!
Happy Sussex Day, Burgess Hill!
Today we proudly fly the Sussex flag, in celebration of our wonderful county, that is steeped in culture, natural beauty and has a fascinating history!
Here some interesting facts about the county and Burgess Hill:
-From medieval times until 1913, Burgess Hill used to host a Midsummer Fair, it was the first sheep and lamb fair of the year in the area, and people travelled across the county to buy and sell over 9,000 sheep each year. It was held on St. John the Baptist day, which is where ‘St John’s’ place name comes from.
-It is thought that our town’s name is derived from the hill-top or ‘burgh’ above the main railway station or from that of the Burgeys family who were taxed here in 1296, 1327 and 1332 when the name of John Burgeys appears on the Subsidy Rolls.
-In 2022, Sussex wine gained Protected Designation of Origin status and Sussex wine accounts for about 28% of the total wine produced in the United Kingdom.
-Sussex contains a number of castles, many of them built in the decades following the Norman Conquest in important strategic and defensive positions, and home to the one of the largest hillforts in England; Cissbury Ring, just north of Worthing.
- The world’s oldest aquarium is the Brighton Sea Life Centre on Brighton’s sea front.
-South Downs National is home to a number of rare species, including the Adonis blue butterfly that thrives in chalk grassland.
Drop into the Help Point or check our website for information on local attractions and things to do in Sussex: https://buff.ly/dCfLskY
Find out more about the history of Burgess Hill by visiting the Burgess Hill Heritage and History Association website: https://buff.ly/lxcn2ie
Do you know some interesting facts about Burgess Hill or Sussex, share them with us in the comments!