MineArchiveMines in East Sussex
East Sussex has no metal-mining tradition to speak of, and its one significant extractive industry was found entirely by accident: a scientific borehole sunk in the 1870s to settle an argument about what lay beneath the Weald struck thick seams of gypsum instead. The resulting mines at Mountfield and Brightling have worked that discovery ever since, and Brightling remains one of the few deep mines still operating anywhere in southern England.
Open the full map for the year filters and disasters.
| Mine | Worked | Commodities |
|---|---|---|
| Ashburnham Furnace | Working by the 16th century–Early 1813 | Iron |
| Beauport Park Roman Iron Mine | 1st century AD–3rd century AD | Iron |
| Brightling and Mountfield Gypsum Mines | from 1876 (Mountfield) | Gypsum, Anhydrite |
| Robertsbridge Furnace | 1539-41–1793 (furnace) | Iron |
Record created: 24 August 2026 · Last researched: 24 August 2026